Homecoming queen Averie Cockerill said she was more excited to see her king get the crown.
SALEM, Ind. — Salem High School lost two staff members to cancer in a single week this past November. On Friday, a student facing that familiar battle was crowned homecoming king.
"I was diagnosed six days after my 18th birthday," Konnar Anderson said. The Salem senior has a rare form of Rhabdomyosarcoma.
According to Konnar's Go Fund Me, "His primary tumor is in the left side of his pelvis, and the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the pelvis, two vertebrae, a small spot on his skull, and a few small nodules in his lungs."
"It's uh very aggressive and it's very hard to treat," Konnar told WHAS11 News, sitting in the school library. He's finished his coursework for the year but still comes by to see his friends and teachers. Though, he said, they're more like a family.
The Salem Lions take pride in their pack.
"I've gotten so many letters, I've gotten so many cards. It's truly terrific what some people can do," Konnar said.
Hopefully, there will be more good than bad days ahead.
As the seniors look toward prom and eventually graduation, Konnar said, "I know that I am definitely going to shed some tears when they walk out on that stage and as soon as I get to walk out with them too."
For now, they'll save the tears, and cheer on their newest king.
Salem High School's newest king talked with us today about his battle with cancer. The school lost two teachers to the same battle within the same week. See the full story tonight at 11 on @WHAS11 pic.twitter.com/qqlQxml7fw
— Tom Lally (@tomlallyky) February 15, 2022
Contact reporter Tom Lally at TLally@whas11.com or on Facebook or Twitter.