Michigan State Spartans, Adreian Payne mourning loss of “Princess Lacey” to cancer – ESPN.

I did not know anything about this girl until today. I’m so inspired by the thoughtfulness showed by Michigan State’s Adreian Payne and Tom Izzo.

Apparently, Lacey “had neuroblastoma, a fetal-nerve cell cancer, and wore a blond wig because chemotherapy caused her to lose her hair.” The rest of the column is an excerpt from an article about her:

A football-sized tumor had engulfed her kidney. Another tumor wrapped around her spine, and her father had to carry her into a hospital on Dec. 28, 2011. She lost feeling below her belly button and couldn’t walk on her own for several months, a long stretch that included the first of many visits from Payne.

Lacey had been a huge supporter of Payne, and he reciprocated by becoming a close friend, visiting her at the hospital and inviting her to games.

“She is such a huge part of my life,” Payne told The Detroit News recently. “And she grew to be part of my family.”

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo told the Detroit Free Press on Wednesday that he talked to Payne early Wednesday morning about Lacey’s death.

“Even though he knew this was inevitable, it’s hard,” Izzo told the Free Press. “But he took it with the class and dignity that she taught him. I told him, ‘Not everybody gets to touch somebody’s life like you have. And sometimes other people impact your life, too.'”

The 6-foot-10 Payne carried her around the court on senior night at Michigan State. Lacey got to help the Spartans cut down the net after they won the Big Ten tournament, and she received a championship hat with the rest of the team.

She also was with the Spartans for the East Regional of the NCAA tournament and accompanied Payne to the College Slam Dunk Championship in Dallas during Final Four weekend.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Holsworth family today,” Izzo said Wednesday in a statement on behalf of the entire program. “Princess Lacey has taught us all an incredible lesson about love, strength and toughness. We can all learn from her on how to handle adversity with class and dignity.

“She has become an inspiration to our team, our families, our university, and most recently our entire nation. At just eight years old, she has given us all a lifetime of memories. We are all saddened today, but we are all better people for having known Lacey. Her smile and passion for life will live in the hearts of everyone she has touched across our country.”

Rest in peace, Princess.