Malik Little
Last night was a special one for Merriman Park Elementary fifth grader Malik Little, who has lymphoma. Last night the Lake Highlands High School coaches and basketball team invited Malik, a big sports fan, to sit on the team bench during the final home game, and they brought him out on the court and honored him at halftime. Malik —who recently endured surgery to remove a brain tumor and is undergoing chemotherapy — says the recognition made him a little nervous, “but it was cool.”
While Malik watched the game, fellow fifth graders and MPE parents sold “Malik Madness” T-shirts and wristbands in an effort to raise money to defray the costs of Malik’s mounting medical expenses.
The Merriman Park Elementary community has had more than its share of cancer-related struggles and each time someone is diagnosed with a serious illness, the community supports them both financially and in spirit, offering time, money and even blood. Kindergarten teacher Beth Lyons was diagnosed with leukemia last May, and second grader Hannah English was diagnosed with leukemia in the fall. For their overwhelming support and fundraising for the afflicted, MPE recently was honored as Clarice Tinsley’s “Hometown Heroes” and featured on a Fox 4 TV broadcast.
Lake Highlands High School athletic director Scott Smith and Malik Little: by Courtney Wright
Merriman Park Elementary students raised money for classmate Malik Little: by Courtney Wright
Merriman Park students and members of the LHHS basketball team honored Malik Little at Tuesdays game: by Courtney Wright
Malik’s mom Ikema joins the MPE fundraisers at the LHHS basketball game: by Courtney Wright
Lymphoma patient Malik Little’s fifth grade class came out to support him at Tuesday’s high school basketball game: by Courtney Wright
