By purchasing a ticket to the St. Jude Dream Home giveaway — you’re helping save lives.
Georgia residents have two ways to enter: You can reserve a ticket online or call 800-383-9844 to reserve your $100 ticket. South Carolina residents (and anyone else in the country who wants to purchase a ticket) must call the number to enter, any time of day.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WSAV) – Craig’s life changed forever at 15.
An avid soccer player, he was knocked down by a teammate. But luckily, that fall led to a big discovery.
In a matter of four days, Craig learned he had a sports hernia. Then, acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
The next day, as Hurricane Gustav was headed toward his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he was heading to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“If I wasn’t able to get to St. Jude that very next morning, who knows how long I would’ve been stuck?” he said. “If my cousin didn’t knock me down, who knows how sick I would’ve gotten?
“So I like to say that St. Jude always has shown up at the right time and in the right places.”
Craig had to give up sports for a bit and spent a year at St. Jude. But he remembers his time there fondly.
“I miss it. You know, that sounds weird. Obviously, I don’t miss fighting for my life or some of the things I had to go through with chemotherapy,” he said, “but I miss seeing my nurses. I miss seeing my teachers. I miss just being here knowing that people’s interactions with me were intentional, about just love, just making sure I’m feeling the love that they’re striving to give.”
Craig attended school at St. Jude and was able to return to high school to play soccer his senior year.
“The plan was to graduate high school a year early, but St. Jude was able to make that dream a reality even while I was fighting for my life,” he added.
He walked on his senior year at Howard University, played in adult leagues and went on to compete overseas in Europe.
Eventually, his journey brought him back to St. Jude, in a new way.
Craig now works for St. Jude’s fundraising side, ALSAC, and is a member of the LIFE program, a study on the long-term effects of childhood cancer.
“Since I was walking through the doors of the hospital that first day, I told my mom, ‘I’ll be a part of this mission for the rest of my life.’ But I didn’t know what that meant then,” he said.
“So it’s always a sweet reminder when I walk through these doors today,” Craig added.
This September, Craig will celebrate 10 years in remission.
“I wouldn’t take back any part of my journey. Not a single moment.”
