How a friendship with Auburn coach Bruce Pearl empowered a student to overcome leukemia
Auburn, Alabama — Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl often sneers and yells during games. But off the court it’s a different matter.
“On the court he’s tough and difficult for all players, but there’s a whole different side to him.” Blues Outside of basketball, he’s a nice, loving, caring person,” Auburn freshman Sam Cunningham told CBS News.
Cunningham’s unique perspective was born from his greatest struggle. In 2017, he was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 12. Shortly afterward, someone asked Pearl to take a video.
“You’re going to win this, son,” Pearl said in the video. “Cancer, you picked the wrong guy. You fooled around with the wrong person, I understand.”
“This was really funny to me: ‘Cancer picked the wrong guy, picked the wrong guy to mess with,'” Cunningham said. “Those words were something I carried with me through my darkest days, including being hospitalized.”
Through all the complications, relapses, and days when it seemed like it would be his last, Sam kept watching that video over and over again.
Eventually, Pearl delivered the same line in person and they became friends. Then one day, Pearl gave him an even more touching message.
“‘I’m telling you, you’re going to get better, come to Auburn and be my assistant,'” Pearl reportedly told Cunningham. “And he took my word for it.”
Cunningham was declared cancer-free in March 2022.And today he team manager, and he’s very happy to be here. In fact, Cunningham says Pearl’s encouragement may have saved his life.
“That was really healing,” Cunningham said. “I didn’t really think I’d be able to get this far because I had all these complications, so it’s been really amazing. It’s just a miracle that I’m here now. ”
come march madness, college coaches across the country will be praying for a national championship. But at Auburn, Pearl will ask for something more serious.
“My prayer is, ‘God, please take me and keep Sam alive so this doesn’t happen again,'” Pearl said.
Summarize this content to 100 words Auburn, Alabama — Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl often sneers and yells during games. But off the court it’s a different matter. “On the court he’s tough and difficult for all players, but there’s a whole different side to him.” Blues Outside of basketball, he’s a nice, loving, caring person,” Auburn freshman Sam Cunningham told CBS News. Cunningham’s unique perspective was born from his greatest struggle. In 2017, he was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 12. Shortly afterward, someone asked Pearl to take a video.
“You’re going to win this, son,” Pearl said in the video. “Cancer, you picked the wrong guy. You fooled around with the wrong person, I understand.””This was really funny to me: ‘Cancer picked the wrong guy, picked the wrong guy to mess with,'” Cunningham said. “Those words were something I carried with me through my darkest days, including being hospitalized.”
Through all the complications, relapses, and days when it seemed like it would be his last, Sam kept watching that video over and over again. Eventually, Pearl delivered the same line in person and they became friends. Then one day, Pearl gave him an even more touching message.”‘I’m telling you, you’re going to get better, come to Auburn and be my assistant,'” Pearl reportedly told Cunningham. “And he took my word for it.” Cunningham was declared cancer-free in March 2022.And today he team manager, and he’s very happy to be here. In fact, Cunningham says Pearl’s encouragement may have saved his life.
“That was really healing,” Cunningham said. “I didn’t really think I’d be able to get this far because I had all these complications, so it’s been really amazing. It’s just a miracle that I’m here now. ”come march madness, college coaches across the country will be praying for a national championship. But at Auburn, Pearl will ask for something more serious.”My prayer is, ‘God, please take me and keep Sam alive so this doesn’t happen again,'” Pearl said.
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steve hartman
Steve Hartman has been a correspondent for CBS News since 1998 and was a part-time correspondent for the past two years.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sam-cunningham-bruce-pearl-friendship-auburn-basketball-leukemia-cancer/ How a friendship with Auburn coach Bruce Pearl empowered a student to overcome leukemia
