Trey Sampson, 12-Year-Old With Terminal Cancer, Checks Scoring A Touchdown Off His Bucket List [VIDEO]
After doctors told him there was nothing else they could do, Tremaine “Trey” Sampson turned to his school’s football team to help him cope with his terminal cancer diagnosis. The 12-year-old from Texas fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams this past Tuesday when he crossed the goal line and scored his first touchdown for the Balch Springs Jaguars.
“The only reason I'm here today is they keep me up, they support me, they help me through these tough times I have,” Trey told WFAA. “I get my strength from everybody who believes in and supports me.”
Osteosarcoma, the most common form of bone cancer, has ravaged Trey’s body and recently made its way into his lungs. In hopes of stopping the spread of the disease, doctors were forced to amputate his left arm, in addition to performing four lung operations.
With Trey’s future uncertain, Balch Springs coach Ken Johnson was more than happy to help him complete his wish of scoring a touchdown. During Tuesday’s matchup against the J.L. Long Buccaneers, coach Johnson called on number 88 who took the ball 20 yards for the Jaguars' first score of the game.
"The one wish he had was to line up as a Balch Springs player and play in a football game," Johnson told WFAA. "Time is not on our side. Time is not on his side. So I just got with my coaches and said, 'Let's show them what we can do. I want Trey to score a touchdown. I want Trey to get the first play of the game.'"
Trey, on the other hand, struggled to find the right words after his heartwarming touchdown run. He admitted to being worried about how much running his lungs could handle. "It felt good. I was pretty happy when I made the touchdown,” Trey told WFAA. “There were multiple emotions. I was happy. I was sad. it was just awesome."
According to the American Cancer Society, 800 new cases of osteosarcoma are recorded in the United States each year, making it the sixth most common type of childhood cancer. Doctors believe chemotherapy before and after surgery could be the only form of effective treatment for people affected by the disease.