24-year old Chris Knox of Regina lost his battle with cancer this morning. Knox won the hearts of Saskatchewan Roughrider fans everywhere, who were touched by his devotion to the green-and-white, and inspired by his courage. Rest in peace Chris. Here's the story that will appear in tomorrow morning's Leader-Post:
Inspiring man
Chris Knox, who captured hearts of many, loses battle with cancer at age 24
Rob Vanstone
Leader-Post
Friday, December 07, 2007
Chris Knox touched the Grey Cup, along with the hearts of people who followed the Saskatchewan Roughriders during their storybook season.
"Chris, more than anybody else this year, really crystallized the understanding with the players that it's not about us individually. It's about other people,'' Roughriders head coach Kent Austin said after learning that brain cancer had claimed Knox at age 24 on Friday morning. "Chris was more of a blessing to us than we were to him.''
Knox's story became public in early September, shortly after his terminal illness was diagnosed. After Knox expressed a desire to attend the annual Labour Day Classic against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, his wish was brought to the Roughriders' attention. Team president-CEO Jim Hopson promptly arranged for two prime seats to a sold-out game.
After the Roughriders won 31-26, the 24-year-old Reginan was invited into the CFL team's locker room to help the players savour the victory. But there was a greater celebration to come. Knox flew to Toronto on a provincial-government jet with Premier Brad Wall to watch the Roughriders oppose Winnipeg in the Grey Cup. The Roughriders ended up defeating the Blue Bombers 23-19 on Nov. 25.
Following the game, Roughriders players Mike McCullough, Andy Fantuz, Marcus Crandell and Corey Grant took the Grey Cup to Knox's hotel room.
"Really, he has been the 13th man for the past number of weeks in the province," Wall told reporters at the legislature on Friday. "That was the case at the Grey Cup. His story is one that, I think, is a reflection of the story of our province when you consider that his cause also resulted in so much of an outpouring from Saskatchewan people that 10 others who are battling cancer were able to go to the Grey Cup because of the additional money that was just flowing in from everywhere."
After the Roughriders defeated the B.C. Lions in the West Division final on Nov. 18, Kelly Schermann launched a fundraising campaign in the hope that enough money could be generated to fly Knox and his loved ones to Toronto for the game. Trevor Lowey of Kelvington quickly joined forces with Schermann to organize the excursion.
More than $100,000 was donated or pledged in a matter of days. As a result, there were sufficient funds to send 10 young Saskatchewan-based cancer victims and 20 chaperones to the Grey Cup, along with Knox.
"These guys are going into the most important game of their lives -- maybe the only Grey Cup of their lives -- and they're inspired by these 11 young people who came to see them,'' Schermann said on Friday. "Usually we're looking up to the people with the money, the fame and the power and the glory and these football players are deriving inspiration from young kids who are battling some really tough stuff. The story just absolutely exploded. It just was amazing.''
Schermann and Lowey hope to use any money that remains from the "Rider Pride Ride For Cancer'' to start a legacy fund in memory of Knox and Regina's Erin Lawrence. The fund would enable children with cancer to attend sporting events in Saskatchewan.
Lawrence, whom Roughriders quarterback Kerry Joseph befriended early in the 2007 season, died of stomach cancer on Aug. 6 -- one day before her 21st birthday. Joseph wore an "I Love Erin'' wristband during games as a tribute to Lawrence.
"This has become something so much more than a football game,'' Schermann said. "It's something we need to perpetuate and keep going.''
Knox. who was at home with his family when he died, is survived by his mother (Sharla Folk), stepfather (Kim Folk) and father (Ron Knox). The family also experienced heartache in 2001 when Dustin Knox -- Chris's older brother -- died in a car accident at age 20. Funeral arrangements for Chris Knox are pending.
"Our sincere and heartfelt thanks to everybody who did everything to make his wish come true,'' Kim Folk said Friday afternoon. "He got to go with 10 other kids. As a family, we're just so humbled and so appreciative.''
People also rallied around Knox in the fall to help him to take a trip to Tofino, B.C. Money donated to the Chris Knox Fund enabled him to see the ocean for the first time. Before leaving for B.C., Knox discussed his situation with the Leader-Post.
"I just can't sit here saying, 'Poor me,' ''Knox, who was treated in the Allan Blair Cancer Centre's pediatric oncology department, said in a Sept. 17 interview. You should see the little kids who have cancer. I wish you could see (fellow patient) Braden. He has the biggest smile on his face ... just the happiest kid in the world. There's no way you can sit here feeling sorry for yourself after seeing all these little kids.
"I can't complain. I had it good.''
-- with files from Murray Mandryk
© Leader-Post 2007
3 comments:
And the parents of terminally ill children. To have to bury a child is a nightmare I can't even begin to comprehend.
Thanks to the generous donations my son was able to attend a Rider game this summer, he'd never seen a CFL game before, he came home excited about it and extremely happy. He has been doing chemo treatments every two weeks and has his last one on Friday. Keep praying for a cure for this terrible disease.
That's good news, on both fronts. I hope your son gets to attend many, many, many more games over many, many more years.
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