CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. — A Carroll County mother said she will be forever grateful to the people who have shown incredible kindness to her son, a high school football player battling cancer.
Kiki McDaniel is on Day 33. "I stay here every night. I'm with Chase every single day,” McDaniel said.
Her son, 17-year old Chase McDaniel, is a patient at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta-Egleston Hospital.
Channel 2 Action News first reported on the high school senior last spring, shortly after he was diagnosed with lymphoma. The day Chase McDaniel learned the news was the day of the prom. He still took his date to the dance.
[READ MORE: HS football star doesn't let sudden cancer diagnosis ruin prom]
After a number of rounds of chemotherapy, his mom said he was doing much better. But Sept. 17, during a special dinner where he met Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, he was feeling ill. He’s been in the intensive care unit ever since.
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"One thing about being in the hospital is you can feel forgotten,” his mother said.
Chase McDaniel is a member of the Carrollton High School football team. At the beginning of the season, he was named co-captain.
While he was well enough, he took part in the ceremonial coin tosses. Every game, a teammate wears his number 42 jersey. A few weeks ago, his classmates voted him one of the homecoming kings.
His mom said all this love has helped inspire her son to fight on.
"It's been really amazing to watch the way our entire Carrollton Trojan nation has just been there for us and our family. It's been amazing,” Kiki McDaniel said.
Kiki McDaniel said the football team’s motto this season is “We do it for Chase.” So far, they are undefeated.