The Herdblog is a celebration of Trojan football and Trojan sports, and the fans who support their team. We cheer for our Trojan players, and show the proper reverence for our Trojan heroes of yesterday. But, as we have made mention of in the past, there are Trojan heroes who don’t currently play on the football team, and who haven’t shed any blood, sweat or tears on the practice field of Howard Jones nor the sacred turn of the Coliseum. Angelica Logan is one such Trojan hero as is her friend Jacob DeLong.
Angelica works in the USC Bookstore, and approximately a month ago, she had one of those seemingly ordinary days which instead turned out to be magical. (photo right: Jacob and his Mom with Angelica Logan in the maroon blouse) All because she went that extra yard, like Lendale White charging up the middle for a first down, she didn’t stop, and her efforts made Jacob, a little boy valiantly fighting an illness, have “the best day in his life.”
If you aren’t familiar with the story, below are excerpts from the February 22, 2007 article about Jacob DeLong and Angelica Logan from The Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
By Jesse Muñoz Signal Staff Writer
Thursday February 22, 2007
When 7-year-old Jacob
DeLong left his Canyon Country home for a January trip to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, he was excited to say the least. But after a slight detour to the University of Southern California bookstore, Jacob would soon be hailing the day as the "best in his life." Diagnosed with leukemia in June, the last six months have been filled with chemotherapy sessions and a series of hospital visits for Jacob. As a side effect of his treatment Jacob became nauseous and vomited inside the car - dirtying his clothes in the process. Lisa and Jacob bumped into bookstore employee Angelica Logan and casually explained the situation - that Jacob was suffering from leukemia and had become ill during the car ride. Instructing Jacob to stay put for a minute, Logan left, only to return with an autographed USC football that she presented to Jacob. Logan then asked Jacob if he would be interested in meeting some of the USC football players.
From there the group was taken to the campus sports facility, where a number of players stopped by and visit with Jacob. And finally, Pete Carroll met Jacob, embraced him and invited him into his office for a more personal visit.
After we had read this article, the Herd sent flowers to Angelica Logan, thanking her for being a wonderful Trojan, full of Trojan heart and spirit. We appreciated how she had gone out of her way to make Jacob’s day special, and we wanted to reward her thoughtfulness with a bouquet of flowers. Angelica recently wrote the Herd back, stating:
Hey Everyone, great news, Jacob DeLong will be here next week to see us here at USC. If you’re interested, you can get updates on his care page and leave him
messages too. I know he would love that support.
The website is (http://www.carepages.com). You can type in “JKDELONG” to access his site. Thanks again for the flowers. I put them in my scrapbook for Jacob to see next week. Fight On, Trojan fans. And Fight On Jacob, my little Trojan!
We want to thank Angelica for continuing to exude her Trojan spirit, and for becoming a little part of Jacob’s life, and as we've read Jacob feels that being a part of the Trojan family is special. We also want to thank her for sharing Jacob's hope and spirit with us.
Angelica also forwarded some more articles and pictures about Jacob so that the Herd and Trojan fans can learn more about Jacob, and also feel connected to Jacob as we continue to give him our thoughts and prayers and a collective “Fight On!”
Excerpts from the July 22, 2006 article about Jacob DeLong and his family from The Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
Another Long Run for Team DeLong
(http://www.the-signal.co
m/?module=displaystory&story_id=31690&format=html)
Commentary By Diana Sevanian
Saturday July 22, 2006
Lightening has struck twice at the DeLong household. Six years ago, Dave and Lisa DeLong of Canyon Country buried their beloved 15-year-old son, Justin, after his long battle with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Now, in a cruel twist of fate that has rendered them feeling sucker-punched, their adorable 6-year-old son Jacob has been diagnosed with a form of the disease.
Two in one family.
The odds for two siblings being hit with leukemia are extremely low. But for some unknown reason, that unlikelihood did not hold true for the DeLongs.
"It is surreal, to say the least, that we are doing this again," Lisa told me of their new pediatric oncology journey. "Many of the nurses who cared for Justin when he was first diagnosed in 1989 are still there and do a double take when they see me walk in the oncology clinic with Jacob. Sometimes I have to remind myself what year I'm living in.
By Jessica Marks
Signal Staff Writer
Tuesday October 10, 2006
For every $500 Canyon High School students raise, they'll be able to shave another teacher's head bald - all to support Jake DeLong, son of the school's beloved cross-country coac
h.
A few weeks ago, Jake got the chance to make his father David DeLong go totally bald like he is.
Just a few days from his 7th birthday, Jake is bald because of chemotherapy he takes to treat his leukemia.
Students sought donations to pay for some of the prescriptions the family's insurance doesn't cover, to compensate for some of the lost wages and to buy toys for Jake when he's had a particularly bad treatment.
The DeLong family has been in the hearts of many Santa Clarita residents as Jake's teenage brother, Justin, died only six years ago from the same disease.
1 comment:
Hi my name is marah gilreath i am from North Hall High School and i will be praying for u jake. and as long as you got the master juses that is all you really need. He will always have your back and be with you.
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