Blood Drive Held In Honor Of Aliquippa HS Football Star Battling Cancer
ALQUIPPA (KDKA) -- DiMantae Bronaugh is used to being a star on the football field. As a running back for Aliquippa High School, he ran for 1,200 yards last season.
But now he's been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Since his diagnosis, the community has been rallying around him, and on Tuesday he starred at a blood drive for #24Strong.
"I didn't think I was going to get this kind of support," said DiMantae when he arrived at the event in his name at the Beaver United Methodist Church.
But support for DiMantae is coming from everywhere. He is currently getting chemo, but he's in remission right now. He says he has to fight because there's a whole community fighting with him.
"I feel pretty good. I can't work out or nothing, but I'm gonna start new medicines, and I don't know how that's going to make me feel," he says.
Many of the donors at the blood drive know DiMantae personally and they want show support in any way possible.
Kim Snyder came to donate.
"He's such a good guy and the community has really come together for him," she said.
For DiMantae and his family the fight is every day, but they are grateful to have so many in the battle with them, like Central Blood Bank.
"You don't think about the blood products a patient is using, which is why we are here to remind the public we need new inventory," said Tamara Kilgore, of the blood bank.
Meanwhile, DiMantae's message is simple.
"Thank you for all the support," he says. "I know they're praying for me. Just thank you."
Students from Aliquippa High School will hold another blood drive later this year.
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