Justin graduated with a degree in Business Administration while playing basketball for the Bears. But slowly, he started to lift. Washington University in St. Louis is mourning the loss of basketball player Justin Hardy. I remember thinking he seemed so physically weak. But what changed me in so many ways was everything he did off the court. He graduated early this past December from Washington Universitys Olin Business School with a degree in finance and accounting. And at Commencement, Andrew E. Newman, chair of Washington Universitys Board of Trustees, honored Hardy before a crowd of 15,000 students and their families and friends. In early April, surrounded and supported by family, teammates and coaches, Hardy received an award in New Orleans during Final Four weekend that recognized a year of achievement. "After 13 months of courageously redefining what it means to live with cancer, Justin passed peacefully early this morning, Sunday, May 29th," his father Bob Hardy announced on Twitter . I was so emotional about it all. We are devastated by this loss but comforted by the manner in which he lived his life. Hardy was one of two athletes given the Perry Wallace Most Courageous Award by the United States Basketball Writers Association for his refusal to let a terminal prognosis sidetrack his immediate plans. Royce Reed is officially done with His final on-court appearance was on Feb. 26. Washington University basketball star Justin Hardy died on Sunday, just months after helping lead his team to the post-season while playing with stage 4 stomach cancer. Dr. Park, however, was more optimistic, saying that Hardys overall health can be helpful in his ability to fight the cancer and withstand aggressive treatments. In April of 2021 Justin was diagnosed with Stage 4 Stomach Cancer. CNN Justin Hardy, a basketball player for Washington University in St. Louis, passed away on Sunday from stomach cancer at age 22, according to a statement from his father Bob Hardy.. The main reason was their faith and belief God was going to heal them..and he did. I felt like most of things were gone and I was finished playing basketball.. A 6-foot-5 forward, Hardy was rookie of the year in the University Athletic Association and then earned second team all-conference honors by averaging 14.3 points and 7.0 rebounds as a sophomore. Then he broke the news of his diagnosis to his closest friends on the team over Facetime. The gym where Hardy experienced many of his greatest moments in the sport was filled. What we saw this year his courage, his toughness, his commitment to his teammates is really mind-blowing. As we grieve alongside the Hardy family, we also thank them for the gifts that Justin brought to his teammates and friends at WashU. He graduated in December after just three and a half years, refusing to take a lighter load to accommodate the busy schedule of basketball. Diagnosed in April 2021, Hardy completed a summer internship, tutored students in the fall, graduated in December a semester early and recovered from 22 kilos of weight loss to play college basketball. The biggest fear you have is that Im going to try this and Im going to fail, right? Theres nothing at this point that can really rattle me., A lot of things have stayed constant for Hardy over his three and a half years at WashU. She keeps tabs on her younger brother, who she considers the equivalent of a twin. The prognosis isnt pretty, but I am not like most, he told KSDK. Right now, Hardy can only look ahead two weeks at a time, and its driving him crazy. I will ask the Lord to make his presents known to you and touch you and take away all of the cancer from your body. Still, in a high-flying offense that finished eighth in the league with 249.4 passing yards per game last season, Hardy is liable to put up a couple double-digit outings in standard scoring formats. From the moment he stepped foot on this campus, he has been a pillar both on and off the floor. I keep saying hes just built different, Jackie Hardy said. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! The Tigers fell to 13-8 overall and 8-6 in conference play. But when doctors gave Hardy the go-ahead to play, Hardy decided he would do everything in his power to help the Bears reach the NCAA tournament. Stay up to date with everything happening at Washington University and beyond. After undergoing surgery last summer, he started the basketball season in November. Hardy wasnt a stranger to waking up a little sore after workouts. Hardy continued to play for the WashU basketball team while undergoing treatment for cancer, as well as working towards a double major in accounting and finance. Washington University student-athlete Justin Hardy died of stomach cancer Sunday morning after a year in which he refused to allow a stage 4 diagnosis to get in the way of his goals. In his own words: If you want to win, just give me the ball.'. Hailing from St. Charles, the late athlete was only22. Hardy has been so externally strong that in September, a freshman on the basketball team asked Windley, Wait, Justin has cancer? Windley had to explain that his teammate had been doing chemotherapy and treatment all summer. Remarkable story/person. Diagnosed in April 2021, Hardy completed a summer internship, tutored students in the fall, graduated in December a semester early and recovered from 22 kilos of weight loss to play college basketball. But ultimately, he felt like telling his story could have a powerful and positive impact on a lot of people, Nolan said. Comments and respectful dialogue are encouraged, but content will be moderated. 2023 Washington University Student Media, Inc. - All rights reserved, The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis. BA @McKinsey | IEMS @Northwestern '22. 2023 E! The Bears and Maroons hugged each other as finalseconds ticked away. Harrison King. Risk Advisory Associate at Grant Thornton. Justin Hardy, who inspirationally played college basketball while battling stomach cancer, died Sunday at the age of 22, his family announced on social media. Justin Hardy, a former St. Charles East and Washington University basketball player, is pictured at the Saints' Hoops for Hope game in Hardy's honor in February. "After 13 months of courageously redefining what it means to live with cancer, Justin passed peacefully early this morning," Justin's father, Bob, wrote on Twitter. Hes relentlessly supportive of his friends in their successes like his former roommate Caleb Durbin. Chicago, IL. Please logout and login again. Juckem was present for all three events. We were fortunate to be brought along on his journey. An amazing story about Olin alum and WashU athlete Justin Hardy, BSBA 21, is making the rounds. The book tackles Stause's childhood and journey into Hollywood, but she knows her love life is one of the topics that readers will be most intrigued by. ST. CHARLES, Ill.. He underwent rounds of chemotherapy as the season progressed but didnt miss a game until he was diagnosed with COVID. Maybe, he proposed, he could be the best scout team guy in Division III. Still, Justinwho was the second-leading scorer on his college teamtold the outlet that "there was no piece of me that was going to half-ass this" in following his passion for basketball. Despite finding the end zone four times in 2016, many people expected more out of Hardy last season. This is all mind over matter, Hardy typed. Hardy is a really good basketball player, KSDK reports. 2 min read. Two years ago, the team had advanced to the Sweet 16 when COVID ended the season with much for which still to play. Theres a lot we can take from how hes lived, and how hes living the courage and the strength hes had throughout all of this., At the end of the day, Hardy argues that this WashU Basketball season with the team 14-3 so far isnt about the adversity hes overcome. An official cause of death has not been announced yet. Feb 20. The Bears and Maroons hugged each other as finalseconds ticked away. I am living in some of the best days of my life. The sadness was really tough at first just because I felt my life was kind of closing in on me, Hardy told Cusumano in this piece, which aired January 17. This type of cancer is harder to treat than earlier stage stomach cancer. He showed us what it means to be others focused what it means to be a great teammate. A portion of the contributions will be put towards the HardyStrong Scholarship, a fund for high school graduates competing athletically in college. Your email address will not be published. He was 22 years old. However, he had to skip his games when cancer and a new therapy took over and he entered the final regular-season game at Washington University. This website is managed by 411 Locals and has been temporarily removed. Still, he was doggedly persistent with his conditioning program, taking his time with the exercises that would have been his warmup six months prior. I was in tears after the game, hugging that kid. whom he married in 2003. He focuses on the neuromuscular aspect - speed, reaction and change of direction. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to theHardyStrong Scholarship. COVID was not a trivial matter to Justin Hardy, but he already had been dealt a tougher opponent. Be the first one to comment on this story. He needed to be careful. He then receives a sequence of three chemotherapies that take from one to three hours each. The community also came together to donate more than $100,000 to Hardys GoFundMe campaign to cover medical expenses and launch the HardyStrong Scholarship. Helping him tell his story will remain a highlight of my career. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the HardyStrong Scholarship. Work continues to find other treatments for Hardy, should they be necessary. A session of chemo starts with blood work before he gets situated in a pod where he spends the day. display: none !important; 2. Its not about the incredible journey from a hospital bed to the basketball court. Hardy helped lead the Bears during their 13-game winning streak and scored 28 points, a career high, in two separate games. He was 22. Your email address will not be published. He majored in accounting and finance, which means that he cant ignore the odds that were given to him. We reserve the right to remove any inappropriate comments. His first day of treatment was a bittersweet day of Oh, were really starting this, Hardy recalled. We feel Justins presence all of the time, Juckem was quoted as saying. In his own words: If you want to win, just give me the ball.. Twitter was flooded with tributes when people heard about his death: As mentioned earlier, a GoFundMe page has been launched under Hardys name, and it has collected around $124,696 so far. ST. CHARLES, Illinois -- Justin Hardy was a star on and off the court. In April, he was named the Most Outstanding Senior in College Basketball and delivered a heartbreaking acceptance speech. Photo by Alex Rubin, Washington University, Justin Hardy was able to graduate early in December from Washington University despite dealing with treatment for stage four stomach cancer. Justins story has resonated with so many people at Washington University and beyond, Juckem said. At that point, no one knew what was wrong. There was a time I watched him walk upstairs a half a step at a time. Many dark days followed the news of a cancer that is diagnosed, on average, at the age of 68. The community also came together to donate more than $100,000 to Hardys GoFundMe campaign to cover medical expenses and launch the HardyStrong Scholarship. But now, he has no idea what happens after he finishes his chemotherapy treatment. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Obituary: Justin Hardy, recent Olin graduate, Bears basketball player,22. Please, no personal attacks, obscenity or profanity, selling of commercial products, or endorsements of political candidates or positions. Hardy played for Division III Washington University in St. Louis, where he finished as the team's second-leading scorer last season. Hed come back from injuries and maxed out reps enough to know the tiredness that comes from pushing his body to its limits. Last chance! In place of flowers, we encourage donations to the #HardyStrong GoFundMe, Bob Hardy wrote. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Hardy also regained his starting job for the Bears. A lot of things have stayed constant for Hardy over his three and a half years at WashU. The Washington University mens basketball forward couldnt run up and down the basketball court three times. Justin Hardy, the Washington University in St. Louis basketball forward whose courage inspired players and fans nationwide, died Sunday, May 29, 2022, of stomach cancer. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. Mentally, Im not at the point where the bad things are really bad, he said. But he did take the court one final time during the Bears final regular season gameagainst UAA rival University of Chicago. Juckem was present for all three events. Someone said, Positivity kills cancer. I dont feel happy with the situation, but I do with where I am in life.. Your login session has expired. "I can't control the spread of cancer inside of me, that portion is going to do what it does," he said. "The sadness was really tough at first just because I felt my life was kind of closing in on me," Hardy said. I have known several people with stage 4 stomach cancer, and they dont have it anymore, they beat it. Someone said, Positivity kills cancer. I dont feel happy with the situation, but I do with where I am in life.. Given an initial prognosis of 12-18 months after diagnosis, Hardy averaged 11.1 points in 23 minutes per game over 21 games last season. You have the worst thing possible happening, and you get to experience the thing that brings the most joy. First comes 1 hours of medication to fight nausea and other side effects. 3 Bears early-season, 13-game winning streak. Over the Zoom screen, Hardy paused as he thought about it. 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