‘It’s more than football’: Community rallies around Stuart Cramer HS football player battling leukemia

BELMONT, N.C. (WBTV) - No matter the time, Jacob Brindle always brings the energy to Stuart Cramer football workouts.

His head coach says Brindle was the sparkplug during 7 a.m. workouts this offseason as he prepared for his senior season with the Storm.

Just weeks before the first game, Brindle learned that his final high school football season was over before it even began.

“Yeah, this was going to be a great year for me,” Brindle said. “It’s still going to be a great year for me.”

Brindle started to feel severe headaches and nausea roughly two months ago. This led him to the hospital, where he received the news that no high school senior ever expects to hear: Leukemia.

“We got the news the morning before our workouts,” Stuart Cramer head coach Ben McMillan said. “That was really tough … really tough to find that out about such a great young man.”

Now Brindle is only at practice when he’s feeling up to it between treatments, but that doesn’t stop him from bringing his usual energy to the field.

“Just to be that guy that comes around and shouts in somebody’s ear, be positive, the team needs that,” Brindle said.

The Stuart Cramer community has rallied around him every step of the way. Last Friday night, the school held its annual Powder Puff football fundraiser.

This year, the student government association decided that the money raised from the charity event — over $4,500 — would go towards Jacob and his family to help with the medical bills from his treatment.

“That was just such a blessing to see, that it’s more than football. It’s a community,” Brindle said.

Brindle had gotten a bit of interest to play football at the college level before his diagnosis, and that hope of getting back on the field is what’s powering him through round after round of radiation treatment.

“I can’t do much until this port comes out of my chest,” Brindle said. “But the moment that happens, I’ll try my hardest to get on the field and play somewhere with somebody.”

Download the free WBTV News app for the latest stories sent straight to your device.

Watch continuous news coverage below:

Copyright 2023 WBTV. All rights reserved.