Kid beats cancer twice and is back on the baseball field

Curt Sandoval Image
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
KABC

WEST COVINA, Calif. (KABC) -- Jaylen Fong is a baseball pitcher at South Hills High School in West Covina. However, this high school senior is not just a baseball player, but a two time cancer survivor.



Fong's story started years ago.



"I was 8-years-old at the time. During the time when I was diagnosed I really couldn't walk," Fong says.



Five years of combined chemotherapy and radiation treatments taught this young man a life-lesson far beyond the white-lines of a baseball field.



"We try to tell the other guys that do you think Jaylen's worried about bases loaded?" Fong's coach Darren Murphy says, "The guy has been through cancer twice. Do you think that he's worried about who we're going to play. He's had much tougher battles in his life than pitching on a Wednesday at 3:30."



Jaylen worked his way out of the bull-pen to become the opening day starter this year. On a day where they honored their former assistant coach Tom Quinly, who passed away last fall of lung cancer.



"His relationship that he had with players is why he's a legendary figure in the area," Murphy says.



The Huskies' cancer survivor pitched 6-shutout innings on the same day they honored their late coach.

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