"I like playing baseball and watching football and basketball," he said.
His desire to be involved doesn't go unnoticed at his school, Clifton-Clyde Middle School. He has been made an "assistant coach" for the senior basketball program.
Connie said this is just an example of how good people have been to Blade.
With Connie having grown up in Beloit, many people here have gotten to know of Blade and his plight.
"Blade gets cards from people from Beloit all the time," she said, "The support we get from everyone has just been amazing."
Of her son, Connie said Blade has had to grow up very fast. He has to have adult like responsibility when it comes to taking his medicine and has been forced to deal with life situations that very few children ever have to deal with.
"Blade has lost several friends to leukemia, including three that were very close to him," said his mother.
Blade met all these kids from the countless days he has spent in the hospital. A place were everyone knows who he is by his smile and the color of his clothes. Blade wears a lot of purple — K-State's dominant color.
With both Connie and Trent having multiple degrees from K-State, Connie said, "Our kids have no choice but to bleed purple."
Blade plans to attend K-State and major in agriculture. He intends to work the land like his father.
It was this love of K-State that brought the Winters to the women's basketball game Saturday January 19. The day started poorly from Blade. His back was causing him intense pain and he was having to take pain medicine every four hours. Blade was determined to see the basketball game and opted not to stay home.
He spent the morning shopping with his mother in Manhattan before meeting his dad and brother at the game. As the first half of the game came to a close, Blade got permission from his parents to go down to the front row and sit with his cousin. This way he had a better view of the Marching Cobras, a drum corps from Kansas City.
Article comments
1 - dg2015
Blade has told me all about this, he's even in my class!!!! My name is dorian but blade calls me doris In third grade blade didn't hardly ever come to school, in fourth he came more often, and now in fifth grade blade is here almost every single day, just like the rest of us! He deserved micheal beasley's attention, he is a great friend!