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Toledo Lineman Quits for Sick Fiancee

35 Comments

It’s important to have priorities.

Ben Pike, a defensive tackle at the University of Toledo, is quitting football to take care of his fiancee Ashlee Barrett, who is battling leukemia.

Barrett, a former Toledo women’s basketball player, was diagnosed in April 2012, but this January discovered the cancer had returned, and she was no longer in remission.

Pike, who has one more year of eligibility, is opting to move to St. Louis to be by Barrett’s side as she recovers from a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy.

“I know in some people’s terms, he’s giving up things,” Becky Pike, Ben’s mother, told The Cleveland Plain Dealer. “But he’s really not giving up. He’s not giving up anything. He’s really fighting for life. And he’s just turned his forces to he’s going to win a battle for life instead of winning on the football field.”

Pike and Barrett plan to marry on June 15th.

Kudos to Pike for realizing football is just a game, as we wish the best to this couple.

[Cleveland Plain Dealer]

10:22 AM on 2/14/2013
  • jamesben

    Best of luck and God Bless you young lady and what a nice, loving, and “no brainer” act by you future husband.

  • Dmac

    Mad respect for you and what you are doing Ben . Puts life into proper perspective. God bless you and Ashlee.

  • dave

    Prayers with both of them. Finally a story about good people

  • mike

    He is a very unselfish man he is doing whats most important in his life witch is her.

  • http://twitter.com/buckybone Tyler Thorp

    How much you want to bet he wouldn’t have done this if he were an actual prospect?

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=528456584 Clint Myers

      Child; you have a great deal of growing-up to do. Please be quiet, the adults are speaking!

  • matt

    that is a true man who cares more for others than himself

  • tdrum

    I am so proud of this young man.Love only comes once in a lifetime and you have to grasp it when you can.God bless her and i will pray for her recovery.

  • Doug

    Very honorable. My prayers are with you both

  • Good Guy

    Kudos to Ben Pike for being such a wonderful, committed young man.. What a great role model for young people. Wishing a speedy recovery for Ashlee.

  • tonytee

    This young man gets it, its only a game. congrats on your up coming wedding ..God bless you both

  • Domenic

    What a Great young man, I wish we had more stories of our local Athletes doing well and making good choices. Unfortunatley most of the time we hear about Athletes getting in to trouble. Ben Pike is an Excelent example for our kids to follow on and off the Field … Good Luck to both of you kids in the future, Ashlee and Ben.
    You have a long journey ahead of you, but together with Love and Prayer everything is going to be ok !!!! God Bless you both..

  • Kentrib

    Thank goodness we have young people like that They know life is special and football is a game

  • Kentrib

    Thank goodness we have young people like that They know life is special and football is a game

  • Kentrib

    Thank goodness we still have young people like this. they know life is special and football is only a game. In my prayers.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=574755528 Bill Stewart

    Youve gotta great guy over there Ms Ashlee Barrett. And you both look great together too!!! Keep up the fight I know you will get though this :) ) :) ) :) ).

  • steve

    What a lovely story, he is what a man should be. Good luck to Ashlee, and their life together.

  • http://www.facebook.com/alan.miller.1042 Alan Miller

    Now here’s a kid mature beyond his years who knows his priorities.

  • http://www.facebook.com/alan.miller.1042 Alan Miller

    Here’s a mature kid who knows his priorities. Must have been tough to give up one love for another, though.

  • http://twitter.com/akaGreatnesss Jimmy

    Good for him.

  • http://www.facebook.com/baloney2 William Cormeny

    He made an excellent choice.

  • BigJerry

    It’s refreshing to see a young man who knows what is really important life. Wishing the best for both of them. God Bless

  • Tim

    Maybe chivalry is not dead. Classy decision.

  • Blaze It

    As he stands by her he can pass her strength through hand contact and prayer wish them both as I went through it myself close to 5 months chemo treatment.

  • http://www.facebook.com/roger.leggett.5 Roger Leggett

    Great story of true love and committment. This message far exceeds most sports stories that are selected for print.

  • Terril Perkins

    Great to see a story about someone who cares more for a loved than himself. I hope and pray for the best for this couple.

  • terril60

    Great to see a story about someone who cares more for someone else than himself. I pray for the best for this couple.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ellen.h.phillips Ellen Harris Phillips

    That’s what love is all about!!!! Good for you…

  • http://www.facebook.com/troypal Troy Palmer

    Way to go kid! Great priorities I will pray for a healing of your Fiance!

  • Robert

    This young man has his head on right. Good Luck to both

  • td

    What a guy!!!

  • Mitch

    As a two time cancer survivor I can tell you the toll it takes on those closest to the cancer patient is often steeper than on the patient. What a wonderful and selfless act this is. Let us all pray for this young couple.

  • Kevin

    That is great! I hope she beats cancer once and for all and they have a long healthy life together.

  • td

    What a guy!!

  • Homer

    Good to see that it appears she is real!

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