Carson's Story

Carson was your typical teenage boy who was involved in sports in his school, he loved to hang out with his friends, pull pranks on others and just have a great time with them all. Then in May of 2006 he was diagnosed with bone Cancer, with the cancer just above his left ankle. Needless to say his life changed at that point. The doctors started him on chemo right away to shrink the tumor and hoping to be able to save his leg. Well, three months later they decided the cancer was too aggressive and not slowing down and they had to amputate his left leg just below the knee.

Carson always kept his head up, never complained but still loved to hang out with his friends. When he would come home from chemo treatments, he would call his friends and see what they were doing. They always seemed to make him feel better no matter what. Lisa and I have always been grateful for his choice of friends, and these were special friends to us as well. We did not worry when he was with them and knew that they would take care of him, watch out for him and keep him safe for us. Of course, they were all daredevils in their own way and Carson was too. The Cancer didn’t slow him down and his friends didn’t treat him much different either and that is the way he wanted it to be.

With Carson having an amputation, it did limit him to some degree in that he was not able to play competitively in school basketball and football. He was however able to keep playing soccer and loved the game. He played a forward for Thatcher High School and went to state tournaments several times. Some kids and coaches would be amazed at seeing a kid out there playing with a prosthetic leg and those that knew Carson knew that they can’t take it easy with him as he played a hard game.

After Cancer returning another 4 times, and 21 surgeries later, Carson passed away on January 30, 2012. He lived a great life and lived it to the fullest he possibly could. His friends were with him to the end and we loved them for their strength, courage and friendship.

Shortly after his death, the AYSO program called and said because of his example on the soccer field in High School and the AYSO program, they would like to start an award program after him, called the Carson Hatch Award. We agreed and it is an honor to this day to go and give this award on to kids every year who work hard on the field, those who show good sportsmanship and don’t complain.