Washington University star, inspiration Justin Hardy passes away after battle with cancer
Washington University star and inspiration, Justin Hardy, has passed away from his battle with stage four stomach cancer. Hardy drew national attention for his incredible return to the basketball court last season after learning last summer that he had stomach cancer. After undergoing aggressive treatment and becoming very ill, Hardy returned to the court and played every game of the season — even finishing as his team’s second-leading scorer.
Justin Hardy passes away from cancer
“The remarkable Justin Hardy — who inspired all those who knew him and his courageous story — passed away today, his family says. An unconquerable, unforgettable young man,” stated ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Earlier this year, College GameDay shared his story — a 22-year-old young athlete who was diagnosed with stage four stomach cancer and played every game of his final college season despite his diagnosis and treatment. His initial prognosis from doctors was that he would have 12 to 18 months left to live.
Despite the terrible illness and his painful treatment, Hardy returned to the court within months. His treatments caused him to lose over 45 pounds, but Hardy battled back into basketball shape following his chemotherapy treatments. After beginning treatments in June, Hardy was back in practice by October and starting for the team in November. Not only did Hardy come back to the court, he excelled — including scoring a career-high 28 points last season. Hardy was the second-leading scorer for his team last year.
“This is me living my life regardless of the circumstances. If this isn’t beating it, I don’t know what is,” said Hardy during his College GameDay interview.
Hardy’s remarkable comeback and attitude towards his diagnosis inspired many, and his unique sense of humor made him beloved by his teammates and fans. Hardy missed one game after all before last season ended — although not because of his battle with cancer, to his disappointment.
Hardy tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and was forced into quarantine, bringing his total games missed to one because of COVID-19 and zero from stage four cancer. The situation’s irony was not lost on Hardy, who showcased his humor while discussing that period of time.
“It’s hysterical to me that I have missed more games due to COVID than cancer,” Hardy said. “It’s a tough one to swallow.”