Community Corner
4x Cancer Survivor On Gophers Set For Surgery After 'Spot' Found
Minnesota Gophers holder Casey O'Brien continues to inspire as he prepares for another surgery.
MINNEAPOLIS — Casey O'Brien, a four-time cancer survivor who plays for the Minnesota Gophers, is preparing for yet another surgery after a "spot" was found on one of his lungs.
"Ready to go 1-0 in this surgery season!" the Gophers' holder tweeted Monday. "Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. God will continue to take care of me."
Ready to go 1-0 in this surgery season! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. God will continue to take care of me. RTB. #5x pic.twitter.com/8eKHCx0ALo
— Casey O'Brien (@caseyob14) November 25, 2019
Countless fans of other teams responded to O'Brien on Twitter, showing him love and support.
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Made this sign for you on game day. Sending more Hawkeye love your way today pic.twitter.com/vwT5bbrBZw
— Darcy Nelson (@jrrivermen) November 25, 2019
O'Brien made his college football debut in the fourth quarter against Rutgers this season. O'Brien held the snap for one of the Gophers' many successful extra points that game.
He had never played a second before that. After the play, O'Brien embraced coach PJ Fleck, with both shedding tears.
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Sometimes it's about more than just football. Four-time cancer survivor Casey O'Brien and P.J. Fleck shared a moment after O'Brien's first hold of the season for @GopherFootball.pic.twitter.com/Fzs84gceTs
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) October 19, 2019
"No one can ever take away that he played college football, in the Big Ten." - P.J. Fleck (@Coach_Fleck), on @GopherFootball's Casey O'Brien (@caseyob14) pic.twitter.com/HzHwCRrKrU
— Minnesota on BTN (@MinnesotaOnBTN) October 19, 2019
O'Brien was diagnosed a rare form of bone cancer when he was a freshman in high school. He's spent hundreds of nights in the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital.
Before the Rutgers game, O'Brien said he would think about getting a chance to play every night.
His story was featured on ESPN College Gameday earlier this year:
On Tuesday, O'Brien was announced as the 2019 Disney Spirit Award winner. Disney Sports gives out the annual award to college football's most inspirational player, coach, or team, or fan.
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