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James Conner begins own fight after history of helping others

The pitt news

December 7, 2015 | Issue 76 | Volume 106 Cover photo by Jeff Ahearn ASSISTANT VISUAL EDITOR Dan Sostek Sports Editor

Mike Gallagher, a close family friend of James Conner, arrived at the star’s recovery room just as his anesthesia began to wear off. Conner, a Pitt football running back, underwent a biopsy last Tuesday that would later reveal he had cancer. Gallagher — or “Pops” as Conner calls him — had returned from a diminishing

appointment regarding his chronic kidney disease and was anxious to see the young man who has always been there for Gallagher and his family. “The very first thing he said when waking up from the biopsy was, ‘Pops, what did the doctors say about your kidney?’” Gallagher said. “My son and his mom looked at us and I just said, ‘Is this kid for real?’” After the initial shock, this selfless re-

sponse didn’t surprise Gallagher. “On the field, he’s a beast,” Gallagher said. “But he’s also the kindest, most gentle human being in the whole world.” Following his press conference announcing his diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma on Friday, the star running back was inundated with support, ranging from the likes of hockey legend Mario Lemieux, who also had the disease, to Pennsylvania

Gov. Tom Wolf. But the twenty-year-old has frequently been on the other end of this exchange, helping others in their times of trouble. Long before his cancer diagnosis and his legacy on the gridiron at Heinz Field, Conner was a dedicated volunteer at the National Kidney Foundation, the Mel Blount Youth Home and various children’s See Conner on page 8


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