WASHINGTON — The start of the new football season is a bittersweet time for one local family who received support from the Washington Redskins when their son needed it most.
One year ago this week, 15-year-old Luke McGuire died after a four-year battle against cancer. It was a loss for all who were close to the Fairfax teen — including some very special friends in burgundy and gold.
In the last year of his life, young Luke — always an avid football fan — became on unofficial part of the Redskins team. From the front office to the locker room, Luke and his family got regular doses of friendship and support.
“Knowing there were people there that truly cared gave him a lot of strength,” said Luke’s dad, Dan McGuire.
Luke needed that strength as he dealt with the ravages of Ewing’s Sarcoma — a rare malignant bone tumor that affects children and adolescents.
He was well into this fight when his family met Father Dan Leary, the Redskins team chaplain, and began to attend mass at his church — St. Andrew the Apostle in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was there that the young cancer patient met Paul Kelly, the team’s vice president for operations, along with players Ryan Kerrigan, Roy Helu and Alfred Morris, among others.
It wasn’t long before Luke and his older brothers Mick and Jack were being invited to training camp, team dinners and practices. When Luke was trying to cope with the struggles of everyday life for a teen with cancer, he got texts from team members, and telephone calls during chemotherapy. There were also words of support for his father and mother Patricia from team owner Dan Snyder.
It was all done quietly, with no publicity.
“They just went out of their way and just showed what kind of people they are without any fanfare,” Dan said.
He said the most incredible moment of all came in August 2013, when Luke was unexpectedly called to the field to join quarterback Robert Griffin III, and tackle Trent Williams for the coin toss preceding a pre-season game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Photographs taken immediately after the toss show Griffin and Luke laughing as if they were sharing a joke — and indeed, they were.
“Like old friends,” recalled his father.
Less than one month after that game — on Sept. 11, 2013 — Luke lost his battle against cancer. Dan said he thanks the football team every day in his heart for the kindness and compassion they showed his family — “keeping us Redskins tough and Luke strong.”
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