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Beloved Michigan football fan Meechie Walker dies after cancer battle

Meechie Walker was a celebrated Michigan football fan and standout high school football star

James Parks

Beloved Michigan football fan Meechie Walker dies after cancer battle
Beloved Michigan football fan Meechie Walker dies after cancer battle /

Former high school football star and beloved Michigan football fan Dametrius "Meechie" Walker died on Friday after a two-year battle with bone cancer, the school announced.

Walker is survived by his mother, Leona Bell, and son, Kymere.

Walker was a gifted defensive end prospect at Muskegon High School in Michigan and earned scholarship offers from Kentucky, Michigan State, and some MAC schools, but his dream was to play for the Michigan Wolverines.

But as Walker neared achieving that dream, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma after noticing a bump on his knee in November of 2020.

He underwent an operation and followed it with nine months of chemotherapy, but the cancer returned in 2021, and soon afterwards, the tumor had grown too large and doctors amputated his left leg.

Despite the decision to remove the leg and the tumor, the cancer continued to spread.

News that Walker was suffering from the disease found its way to the Michigan football team and head coach Jim Harbaugh.

The team invited Walker to a practice in August of this year to meet the players and coaches and feel like a part of the Wolverines football program.

Michigan invited Walker to be with the team for its game against Maryland on Sept. 24 and he was given a signed jersey with his name on it.

Harbaugh dedicated the game, a 34-27 victory over the Terrapins, to Walker and the team gave him the game ball afterwards in the locker room.

"We lost a true embodiment of what it means to be a Michigan Man," punter Brad Robbins said in a tweet.

"Meechie and I texted weekly about his experience and outlook on life. Whenever he was in our facility and around our team, he was so positive and always had a huge smile on his face."

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.

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