MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – Two teenagers who first met while battling a rare form of leukemia at UK Hospital faced each other Friday night.
Their high schools competed in the first round of the high school football playoffs.
Montgomery County High School senior Lukas Brown and South Laurel High School junior Gunnar Queen were both diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia in 2022.
Their paths crossed three years ago during treatment, and they met again under the Friday night lights as opponents.
“The fact that we both have made it through and have been able to meet each other again on this field tonight is very impactful thing very emotional,” Brown said.
Gunnar was diagnosed more than one year after Lukas, but their treatment journeys were similar.
“This doesn’t happen to two kids who were given a death sentence to suddenly we’re playing in a playoff game at a high school football, pretty high stakes,” Gunnar Queen said.
Both teens finished their treatment and are now in remission. Lukas’ mother, Beth Willoughby, said she is grateful the two teenagers could lean on one another during their treatment.
“I was surrounded by a community that was behind us 100 percent, but at the end of the day, I still felt alone because nobody else knew exactly what I was going through, so when Rita came along, it was a Godsend,” Beth said.
The teens’ parents said they are excited to see the two battle on the field after their battle with leukemia.
“Even though they’re rivals tonight, they’re both overcoming such an amazing obstacle in their lives. They’re teammates on such a bigger level,” Rita and Donovan Queen said.
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