I would love to see this be the lead story on ESPN or the main story on the front page of USAToday. But since it isn't, I'm counting on all of you to pass it around. This is exactly what a role model should be to our student-athletes. Not that every athlete has to end their career to save a life -- but the sacrifice made for another -- this is a servant attitude at it's best.
The following is written by Christina Ng of Good Morning America. PLEASE click here to read the entire article and watch the video that ran on ABC.
Cameron Lyle, a Division I college athlete in New Hampshire, has decided to shorten his athletic career for a chance to save a life.
Lyle, 21, had his mouth swabbed to join a bone marrow registry two years ago in the cafeteria at school. He didn't think any more of it until a few months ago when he got a phone call that he might be a match. He took more tests and discovered a month later that he was a perfect match.
"When they first told me, I was like, 'OK, cool. I'm definitely going to do it,'" Lyle said. "After that I kind of went to tell my coach and then I realized slowly that my season was over."
Lyle's main events are the shot put and the hammer throw.
"It's just a sport," he said. "Just because it's Division I college level doesn't make it any more important. Life is a lot more important than that, so it was pretty easy."
Lyle competed in his last competition Saturday and said it was "kind of emotional." His teammates rallied around him to cheer him on.
The man who needs his help is a 28-year-old suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Lyle was told that the man only has six months to live without the transplant.
Lyle of Plaistow, N.H., said he had been told there was a one in five million chance for a non-family match.
"It was kind of a no-brainer for a decent human," Lyle said. "I couldn't imagine just waiting. He could have been waiting for years for a match. I'd hope that someone would donate to me if I needed it."
