Roanoke student and baseball player Eddie Kaufman passed Tuesday after a courageous battle with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the Roanoke College Athletics Facebook page has reported.
The college expressed in their post deep sorrow over the passing of Kaufman, whose fight against the rare blood cancer inspired a strong outpouring of support from the campus and surrounding community.
In April, Roanoke College hosted a National Bone Marrow Registry drive to help find a donor match for Kaufman. Hundreds of students, faculty and community members turned out to participate in the effort to support him.
“Eddie’s spirit and courage touched us all,” the college said in a statement. “We are holding Eddie’s family, friends and teammates close as they grapple with the loss of this outstanding young Maroon.”
Kaufman was known not only for his dedication to baseball but also for his resilience throughout his illness. The community’s response reflected the impact he had on those around him.
“We will always love you, Eddie. Once a Maroon, always a Maroon,” the college added.
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