BELLVILLE, Ohio – A teenage boy from Bellville, Ohio who loved the Ohio State Buckeyes and fought cancer by labeling his disease “Michigan,” has passed away.
Grant Reed was diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2012 at 11-years-old, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
At that age, Grant was reportedly encouraged by staff at Nationwide Children’s Hospital to name “the enemy,” which was a tumor the size of a tennis ball next to his brain stem.
Grant reportedly told his father, Troy Reed, “I’m going to name it Michigan. Because Ohio State always beats Michigan.”
In fact, the idea of beating Michigan not only gained national attention, but even inspired a visit from then-head football coach, Urban Meyer.
Grant underwent surgery to remove the tumor, followed by radiation and chemotherapy, beating “Michigan” once, but then had a recurrence in 2014.
However, after beating cancer twice, “Michigan” made a return appearance in August 2018. According to his Facebook page, Grant had been undergoing treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital since then.
Unfortunately, Grant passed away at 6:38 a.m. Sunday after a 6 year and 9 month journey.
His father, Troy, shared on Facebook that Grant “won his final victory over M*CH*G*N because it can never hurt him again.”
Grant passed away peacefully with his family by his side.
The results of a recent MRI reportedly showed that tumors were aggressively growing, with treatment having no effect. When Grant’s condition began to worsen Saturday evening, his family “elected to not pursue any aggressive interventions, but keep him comfortable.”
“Grant touched so many lives in his short time on this earth and was loved by all who met him. God blessed me by allowing me to be his dad, but I fear I learned more from him than I ever taught him. He was the strongest warrior that I ever met and fought like a champion until the very end,” his father wrote. “The last 6 years and 9 months were a journey that strengthened our family and our community and brought us all together and Grant was the one that bore the brunt of it. He was a man among men and I pray that everyone who he touched never forgets his spirit.”
