8-year-old Lacey Holsworth has died from cancer

I have no idea how to write about the death of 8-year-old Lacey Holsworth. I say that both as a Spartan fan and a cancer survivor. Early this morning, her family sent out this message on Instagram.

Holsworth died from neuroblastoma, a particularly nasty form of cancer. Years ago, when Lacey was going through her first rounds of treatment, the MSU basketball team visited her in the hospital. It was there she met Adreian Payne. They formed a bond that would go on until her last days.

Lacey’s death hit Dick Vitale very hard. The ESPN analyst has become a champion for cancer research, raising money through the Jimmy V foundation for the better part of two decades. This morning in an interview with Joe Rexrode of the Free Press, Vitale said he would donate $250,000 in Lacey’s name. What an incredible gesture.

I have more to say but as a cancer survivor, those words don’t come easy anymore. I hope sometime later in the week to gather them in a post. For now, R.I.P. Lacey Holsworth.