At just 10 years old, Tanner lived for basketball. The sport wasn’t simply an after-school hobby—it was his heartbeat, his freedom, and his joy rolled into one. Every afternoon, you could find him practicing layups, sprinting down the court, or laughing with his teammates. Basketball wasn’t just something he played; it was part of who he was.

But life sometimes shifts faster than a change of possession on the court. And in what felt like the blink of an eye, Tanner’s world stopped.

His parents were the first to notice something was wrong. Tanner grew pale. His energy dropped quickly, and the spark in his eyes began to fade. At first, they hoped it was just a virus or exhaustion from long practice days. But as days turned into weeks, the symptoms grew too alarming to ignore.

A Misdiagnosis That Changed Everything

When doctors diagnosed Tanner with blood cancer, his family’s world collapsed. They imagined the worst: a childhood stolen, dreams interrupted, and a bright young boy facing battles far beyond his years.

Worse still, the diagnosis was wrong.

But the family didn’t know that yet.

Trusting the initial results, doctors immediately placed Tanner on a chemotherapy plan—aggressive, invasive, and deeply painful. For months, Tanner endured treatment after treatment. Chemotherapy drained his strength, stole his appetite, and dimmed his once-radiant spirit. His parents watched helplessly as their little boy suffered the side effects of medication he didn’t actually need.

There were nights when Tanner cried because his bones ached too much to sleep. There were days when even sitting up required more strength than he could muster. And there were moments when his parents questioned everything—but still held on to hope.

Through every appointment, every round of chemo, every tear, and every setback, one thing carried the family forward: love. Love for Tanner. Love for the life they believed he still deserved to live.

But something didn’t add up. Tanner didn’t improve. The pieces of the puzzle weren’t fitting together.

And his parents felt it in their gut.

A Second Opinion That Saved His Life

Driven by intuition—and the fear of losing their boy—Tanner’s parents refused to accept the easy, convenient answers. They pushed for more testing. They reached out to specialists. They asked questions, even when it made them feel difficult or demanding.

That stubbornness changed everything.

A new team of specialists reviewed Tanner’s case and delivered a diagnosis that made the entire journey make sense:
Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) — a rare and serious bone marrow disorder.

Suddenly, the months of unexplained pain, the lack of improvement, and the failed cancer treatments all had an explanation.

The diagnosis was devastating—but also a relief. For the first time, Tanner’s parents finally had clarity. They finally understood what their son was really fighting.

And now, they knew what he needed:
a bone marrow transplant—the only treatment that could give Tanner a chance to return to the life he loved.

A Family’s Strength in the Face of Fear

MDS affects the body’s ability to produce healthy blood cells. It can lead to infections, anemia, excessive bleeding, and life-threatening complications. For Tanner, it meant the life he once knew—running down the court, laughing with his friends, feeling strong and free—was now on pause. But he didn’t let that extinguish his hope.

Even as his body weakened, Tanner held onto basketball with the tight grip of a child who refuses to let his dreams slip away. He talked about the court. He talked about his team. He talked about what he would do “when” he got better—not “if.”

That mindset, that spark, became fuel.

His family’s determination became the engine.

And together, they kept moving forward.

The Long Road Toward a Bone Marrow Transplant

The journey to finding a match is long, emotionally exhausting, and full of uncertainty. Tanner faced blood draws, scans, and countless hospital visits. But he endured it with the same grit he brought to the court. Even on the days when illness weighed him down, he found strength in small victories—smiling through the pain, cracking jokes with nurses, whispering to his mom, “I’m not giving up.”

Because that much was clear: Tanner is a fighter.

His perseverance is nothing short of inspiring. He had every reason to feel defeated—months of unnecessary chemo, months of fear, months of confusion. Yet, he kept going. He kept believing. He kept trusting that life had more in store for him.

A Story That Teaches Us to Trust Our Instincts

Tanner’s journey is a powerful reminder that sometimes, the people who know us best aren’t the ones in white coats—they’re the ones who love us. His parents’ insistence on seeking answers quite literally saved their son’s life. They listened to their instincts, pushed past uncertainty, and refused to settle.

Their courage is a lesson to all of us:
Never ignore your gut when something feels wrong.

A Journey Fueled by Perseverance

As Tanner prepares for his bone marrow transplant—the next, most important step in his journey—he is not walking into it alone. His parents are with him. His friends are cheering. His community is rooting for him.

And Tanner himself?
He’s holding onto a dream bigger than the illness he’s fighting.

A dream of stepping back onto the basketball court.

A dream of running, laughing, and feeling the ball in his hands again.

A dream of living the childhood he deserves.

A Reminder for All of Us

Tanner’s story isn’t just about illness. It’s about all the moments that define what it means to be human:
love, courage, resilience, instinct, and hope.

Life will always bring challenges—some expected, some unfair, some overwhelming. But Tanner shows us that perseverance doesn’t just help us survive; it helps us become stronger. It helps us fight for the life we want. It helps us keep our dreams alive.

What About You?

When has perseverance carried you through a difficult moment?

Let Tanner’s journey remind you of this:
No matter how dark the path becomes, hope, determination, and the people who love us can always guide us forward.

And one day, when Tanner runs back onto the basketball court—stronger, braver, and more determined than ever—his story will shine as a testament to what true resilience looks like.