Aliquippa Students Organize Blood Drive To Support Classmate With Cancer
ALIQUIPPA (KDKA) – A blood drive was held Monday for a high school football player battling cancer.
DiMantae Bronaugh was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year. He's getting chemo and the cancer is in remission, but his health depends on blood transfusions.
The community of Aliquippa came together to help Bronaugh.
"Kinda makes me happy, helping someone who's in need," one student said. "It's the best thing anyone can do."
Classmates organized Monday's "Replenish The Need" community blood drive held at Aliquippa High School to support Broanugh.
"All donors that come out today, their blood products will go back into the inventory from which [Bronaugh] used, to help other local area patients like him," said Amy Eury with the Central Blood Bank.
Broanugh led his team to the WPIAL class AA championship game last season and was diagnosed with leukemia this fall.
"DiMantae, the man, we love him to pieces," said teammate Darnell Gardner. "He works hard when we lift together. You know, that's just my friend. That's one of my friends. That's one of my brothers."
The team is again headed to Hershey for the championship game this season.
"Every game has been dedicated to him," Gardner said. "We told him we're gonna go undefeated and go to Hershey for him. We told him we're gonna get this ring for him."
Even Aliquippa's police chief showed up in support of the teen.
"It's fantastic," Chief Don Couch said. "It's what Aliquippa does. We do this all the time. This ain't nothing new. We take care of our own. We support our own."
Couch says he's been to every football game this season and will be cheering on the Quips for the state title.
But most importantly, the community wants Bronaugh to get better.
"It feels great to do this for a great cause," a classmate and blood donor said. "We support DiMantae in every way we can. We just want him to get well and do better."
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