LUBBOCK, Texas – A Lubbock teen fighting cancer has received overwhelming support from the local community as well as the Super Bowl bound Kansas City Chiefs.
A.J. Hounshell was diagnosed with Leukemia in December 2019. The condition forced the 13-year-old to leave Trinity Christian School and be home schooled.
Doctors also informed Hounshell that he would not be able to participate in contact sports for at least three years.
“I was a little surprised and just kind of upset because I know that I wasn’t going to be able to play football,” Hounshell said.
A.J.’s father, Troy Hounshell, who wanted to keep friends and family updated on his son’s treatment, created a Facebook page titled “A.J. Forces Out Cancer”, paying homage to his son’s favorite movie franchise, Star Wars.
“As soon as we found out the diagnosis, my opinion was that we need to have as many people rallying around A.J. as possible,” Troy Hounshell said.
The Facebook page has gained nearly 2,000 followers and recently, A.J. received a signed football from New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and letter from Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, encouraging A.J. to “fight on.”
“The fact that I’m gonna be okay,” A.J. Hounshell said. “Knowing that just keeps me going. Blessed to be with this cancer and not one that’s worse.”
Recently, doctors informed A.J. and his family that the teen has entered remission, but will still undergo cancer treatment as a preventive measure.
“In our opinion, he’s already beaten it, he’s already healed, we’re just gonna walk the course that the doctors have laid out and confirm it at the end,” Troy Hounshell said.
