Basketball Star's Incredible Friendship With Child Battling Cancer: "She's My Sister"

Teresa Neumann : Mar 28, 2014
Dan Carson – Bleacher Report

"He's just been phenomenal. We love him to death. He's been able to wiggle his way into our family, and Lacey just has him wrapped around her finger. We couldn't be more proud of him." -Matt Holsworth, father of Lacey

(East Lansing, MI)—Michigan State basketball player Adreian Payne is part of a winning Championship team and Lacey Holsworth is an 8-year-old girl battling a rare form of cancer called neuroblastoma and their unique friendship, which has been ongoing for two years, has suddenly been catapulted into headline news. (Photo via Daily Mail)

To understand the import of Payne's dedication to Lacey's welfare, his backstory is in order. According to a report in People Magazine, when he was just 13-years-old, Payne's mother died in his arms following a severe asthma attack while he frantically searched for her inhaler. Later, raised by his grandmother, she too died two years ago from asthma complications.

It was about this same time, two years ago, that Payne met Lacey when he visited Lansing's Sparrow Hospital where she was being treated and ended up staying behind to talk with Lacey a bit more. Reports say the friendship they struck up at that time resulted in daily texting, visits and phone calls. (Photo via Daily Mail)

Lacey calls Payne "Superman." Payne calls her "Princess Lacey."

"Adreian's my brother," says Lacey. "I just think of him and I smile."

Says Payne, who wears an ankle tag that reads #prayforlacey : "She calls me her 'Superman' but she's the one who's got the super strength. Lacey is my special friend and she's a good sister to me. She has taught me to fight through everything, to always have a smile on my face, even when things are wrong."

Lacey's father, Matt, has heaped praise on Payne too. "He's just been phenomenal," he said, on a NJ.com post. "We love him to death. He's been able to wiggle his way into our family, and Lacey just has him wrapped around her finger. We couldn't be more proud of him." (Photo via Daily Mail)

Given their circumstances, with life being far from perfect, that can be a challenge. Payne is facing NBA draft picks soon. Lacey continues to battle an aggressive cancer. Still, the little girl attends Payne's games whenever she can to cheer him on, while he does everything he can to raise support and awareness of Lacey's battle.

Michigan State coach, Tom Izzo, called Payne the "full package," telling Good Morning America, "I'm proud of him as a player and even prouder of him as a person."