The Scoop: North Davidson's Gavin Hill is G$ Strong

Gavin Hill with Coach Brian Flynn {Contributed photo/Riley & Shannon Elliott}

Today {August 28th}, I learned what strength and hope looked like. Early Saturday morning, I entered Palmer Field looking for the local hero I had been hearing so much about.

Gavin was “Scooped” by youth correspondent Riley Elliott. His favorite ice cream flavor- Cookies and Cream.

Gavin Hill is the starting quarterback for North Davidson High School in Welcome. I wanted to meet the teenager who has already faced more battles in his life than most people ever will. When he was in fifth grade, Hill was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. This is a type of cancer that is typically found in children under the age of five. So, given he was 11 at the time made it even more rare. Hill went through over a year of treatments and endured a major surgery that lasted approximately 11 hours to remove a tumor.

He won his battle and was officially cancer free in the fall of 2015. Unfortunately, his situation took a drastic turn this past January when Gavin thought he had a swollen lymph node from a prior sickness. After a chest x-ray and a CT scan, an area of small masses was found under Hill’s clavicle. In February, a biopsy revealed the cancer had returned. It was time to fight again! The county quickly became covered in yard signs showing support for G$. Gavin wasn't in this alone; no, he had a whole community rallying around him. Whoever said lightning doesn't strike the same place twice doesn't know Gavin. A few days ago, he rang the bell symbolizing he's cancer free again! What an awesome display of strength and perseverance. Before interviewing Hill, I spent a little time talking to him about the sport he loves. I found it extremely interesting he wears a different warm-up shirt before each game that honors a different child who is facing or has faced cancer. Gavin is showing that athletes can use their talents to bring awareness to issues close to their hearts! "You fight. We pray."

See the video from this interview and follow Riley on The Scoop!