North Carolina wide receiver Tylee Craft, diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in the spring of 2022, has died at 23.
The school announced his death Saturday on social media.
“It is with love and fond memories that we announce Tylee Craft has begun his journey on the other side.
“Tylee meant so much to so many and affected us in ways we’ll always be thankful for. He was 1-of-1 and, while he won’t be with us in body, he’ll be watching over us with his endearing smile and endless positivity.
“On behalf of his family and our program, we sincerely thank everyone who supported Tylee during his battle with cancer. It means more than you know.”
It was in March 2022 that North Carolina’s athletic training staff arranged for testing to find the cause of Craft’s ongoing extreme back pain. The results showed he had large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, and treatment began immediately as the cancer had spread to lungs, liver and spine, according to an ESPN profile from August.
Doctors said he was within a month of dying at the time treatment began, per ESPN.
He stayed enrolled in school, graduated and began course work toward a master’s degree. He remained a part of the team as a student-coach and attended every practice and event he could.
Head coach Mack Brown said he learned just after the Tar Heels’ 41-34 loss to Georgia Tech that Craft had passed away. The news was not unexpected. Brown told his team Thursday that the cancer had spread and that Craft was entering hospice care.
“They all ran to see him and hugged him and talked to him and laughed with him,” Brown said Saturday, per The News & Observer in Raleigh. “We didn’t know.”
Brown called Craft, a South Carolina native, “an incredible young person.”
“I will say this young man fought so hard for his two and half years,” Brown said. “The doctors said he outlived what he should have, and he did it with a spirit and he did it with a smile on his face. He didn’t miss a meeting, didn’t miss a practice. He coached these other young people. He is an incredible young person.”
Craft was a three-star prospect in the Class of 2020, according to the 247Sports composite. Over two seasons, he appeared in 11 games for the Tar Heels at wide receiver and on special teams.
