AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Hyde Park High School student who won a scholarship as part of a fundraising competition, gave it away to a cancer survivor he had never met.
After his sister’s cancer diagnosis five years ago, Chase Bradley knew he wanted to do something for cancer survivors. This year, the high school junior was selected to participate in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual “Student of the Year” fundraiser. The student who raised the most money over the course of seven weeks, received a $2,500 scholarship. Bradley raised $57,000 for cancer research, but decided to give away the scholarship.
“As we progressed through the challenge, I became, I kind of became more passionate for cancer survivors and people who are going through it,” Bradley said. “I just decided, it was a family decision, I’m not the person that deserves this.”
Bradley and his family told LLS about the decision and asked for a list of names of cancer survivors who could use a little help with college.
“We found Sergio and it was like a bell went off in my head. It was just like, this is the guy,” said Bradley.
Sergio Garcia is a senior at Anderson High School and he is a cancer survivor.
“In my freshman year, during finals, I was diagnosed with Leukemia and had to fight it for almost a year,” Garcia said. “It was a lot of time, going to the hospital, to the clinic. I fought for my life, but I’m here.”
The two young men hadn’t met until this week, when Bradley presented Garcia with the $2,500 check.
“I’m really grateful to him. And I’m really glad in meeting him because I know he’s going to be there when I need him,” Garcia said. “And I’m going to be there when he needs me.”
Like Bradley’s sister, Garcia is now cancer free. He plans to attend Austin Community College and wants to study architecture. Chase will be a senior next year and wants to play football and study business in college.
