Aliquippa Football Player Battling Leukemia Cheers Team From Sidelines
ALIQUIPPA (KDKA) -- Aliquippa High School trails Beaver Falls for the WPIAL championship at Heinz Field. But one Quips fan in particular knows the game is not yet lost. Dimantae Bronaugh exhorts his teammates from a wheelchair. It's a team he once led to victory on the field.
A mere two years ago, number 24 rolled up a thousand yards rushing. Then leukemia struck. But Dimante's mom, J'Marla Bronaugh, says nothing could keep him from this game.
"He was determined to get here. Like, 'Mom, let's get up, let's get rolling. Gotta get dressed.' Told me what he wanted to put on. He wants to support his team. It's all about football."
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Jamal Woodson of WAMO radio says Dimantae addresed his teammates at halftime.
"He was in the locker room at halftime, real upset. He started yelling at some of his players, telling them they hit like a little girl. Telling them to go harder."
Friends and family hope to find a bone marrow match, to stop the cancer in its tracks. The young man's presence on the field is felt in more ways than one. Most of the coaches and assistants are wearing his number.
Though he's now on the sidelines, Dimantae Bronaugh is with his teammates all the way.
"Yeah, because they're my brothers. And I played with them two or three years."
It's a team of brothers: "24 Strong."