An Indiana student who inspired sports fans around the world during his battle with cancer died on Tuesday at the age of 20.
The Purdue Cancer Center announced Tyler Trent’s death on Twitter just after 9 p.m. New Year’s Day.
“It’s with the deepest sorrow that we have to say goodbye to @theTylerTrent,” the tweet said. “We have all become #TylerStrong. To his family, words can’t express how sorry we are that he has passed.”
It’s with the deepest sorrow that we have to say goodbye to @theTylerTrent. We have all become #TylerStrong. To his family, words can’t express how sorry we are that he has passed. His life May have been short, but his legacy with be forever. pic.twitter.com/rONp00YoeK— Purdue Cancer Center (@PUCancerCenter) January 2, 2019
Tyler had been battling osteosarcoma, a rare bone disease, since he was 15 years old.
He gained national attention during his courageous battle with the disease and was awarded the 2018 Disney Spirit Award last month.
Sometimes the hardest days are the most important days.— Tyler Trent 🚂 (@theTylerTrent) December 20, 2018
Tyler attended Purdue University on a Presidential Scholarship and was well-known as a superfan of the Purdue Boilermakers.
“Tyler Trent became the face of Purdue over the past year, a university treasure who ultimately became a national voice in his fight against cancer,” Purdue Athletics said in a statement. “Ask anyone who crossed paths with Tyler, and they will tell you they came away inspired.”
#TylerStrong 🙌 🙏 🚂 pic.twitter.com/ayBcmX4OH1— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) January 2, 2019
The statement says, “Tyler lives on with us because of the lives he touched and the message he carried: Give thanks, pray continually and accept God’s will for you.”
The Purdue University Center for Cancer Research has set up a cancer research endowment in honor of Tyler.
Thank you, @theTylerTrent
for touching our hearts
for changing our lives
for uniting our Purdue community.
If you would like to help #HammerDownCancer, the @PUCancerCenter has set up the TylerTrent Cancer Research Endowment: https://t.co/56IIz3cfwC#TylerStrong pic.twitter.com/ypcTASaOmB— Purdue Alumni (@PurdueAlumni) January 2, 2019