NEDERLAND, Texas — While his classmates get ready for the new school year one Nederland High School student is in a battle for his life.
In May 2024, doctors diagnosed Coy Farris, 15, of Nederland, with a brain tumor.
He’s been enduring chemotherapy treatments since then to shrink the tumor, which is inoperable because it’s on his brain stem. Hopefully the chemo will rid his body of cancer.
By the end of July, he had completed his second round of chemo.
Farris, who dreams of playing football for Clemson University, can be seen in a video posted to Facebook tossing a Nerf football to a nurse after finishing his second round of chemo in late July.
“I’m a tank, I’m a beast,” grunts Farris, as one of his coaches, Josh Wright, spots him in the weightroom recently.
It’s the sound of resilience from the teen who says he was in shock when he was first diagnosed in May with a rare germ cell cancer.
“I kind of figured, if there's anybody that's going to pull through, it would be him,” says Coach Wright.
YOU CAN HELP | Coy Farris Benefit on Aug 11
Since returning home from the hospital Farris has remained in good spirits.
"I love being home around the people I know and there's no constant beeping in my ears from the machines,” Farris says.
He experienced stroke-like symptoms and two brain bleeds over the course of a few months.
It was unexpected, but Farris continues to roll with the punches.
"His mother had asked him, ‘you know, how do you feel about you having cancer?’” his father, Blake Farris recounts. “And his response was, ‘what am I going to do about it?’ I got to move forward."
On Facebook, a group called "Coy’s Avengers" was created not long after news of his diagnosis spread.
"The response has been overwhelming and we never expected it,” Farris’ father, Blake, says. “We couldn't ask for more and we couldn't appreciate him enough."
On Saturday, August 11, 2024, the group is holding a benefit for Farris in Port Neches.
It begins at 9:30 a.m. at the United Steelworkers Hall at 1609 Port Neches Ave where there will be plenty of family fun for all.
"There will be live auctions, silent auctions,” his dad says. “There's three different bands playing.”
Tickets have been sold for barbeque plates provided by Butcher’s Corner as well as liquor carts and gun raffles, according to Farris’ father.
There’s even a dunking booth featuring seven Nederland coaches and more.
Farris, not letting his cancer get in the way, intends to have some fun.
"I'm dunking all my coaches,” Farris says. “That's the first thing that comes to mind.”
He doesn’t care if his throw misses.
“I'm gonna try and hit with the ball and if I don't, I'm walking up and slapping it."
If anyone wants to donate, you can follow this link.