After a hard-fought battle with osteosarcoma, a type of cancer that affects your bones, Tyler Trent, the Purdue superfan who became an inspiration to many this season, has passed away at the age of 20. His family confirmed the news to IndyStar.com.
Trent had been the subject of features from the likes of ESPN due to his optimistic outlook on life and perseverance despite the diagnoses he had been given. In addition to being an honorary captain at Purdue's annual Old Oaken Bucket game, Trent was awarded the Disney Spirit Award which is awarded to the most inspirational individual or team in college football.
"His passion for life, his passion for Purdue football, his passion to do whatever he could, even in the midst of this crazy, horrible journey that he was on," said Jamie Renbarger, Trent's doctor. "He still wanted to help people. He was just a really genuine human being."
Trent had to withdraw from his classes at Purdue in 2018 when the osteosarcoma in his spine progressed and eventually intensified. Not only was Trent a huge fan of Purdue, but he was also an aspiring sports writer.
"Tyler did so much for so many entities and people and a cause that was very personal to him, we’ve all sort of been swept up in this in lots of ways," said Purdue athletic director, Mike Bobinski. "That is a selfless position not easy for people to take. For a young man like Tyler to do that, it’s remarkable."