October 23, 2024
Leesburg High School Freshman Micah Lambert Honors Cousin’s Battle With Breast Cancer
By Kyle Coppola
Leesburg High School Freshman Micah Lambert Honors Cousin’s Battle With Breast Cancer
Leesburg, FL — Under the Friday night lights, Leesburg High School’s football team showcased its rising talent with a 39-23 win against Lyman High. But it was freshman Micah Lambert, #26, who made a special tribute beyond his on-field performance. The 15-year-old, honored his cousin, Antawna Richardson who recently underwent a double mastectomy as part of her courageous battle with breast cancer. He wore as shirt with his aunt on it to bring awareness to this terrible disease that so many are fighting every day.
Micah, alongside teammates Melvin Harris (#88), Dadrein Coffee (#33), and Jaiden Castillo (#14), posed for a team picture after last Friday’s game. While the young freshman’s skills on the varsity field have impressed many, it was his heartfelt tribute to his aunt that resonated most.
Antawna Richardson, a 36-year-old is a talented artist. She shares her journey and stunning artwork on her Facebook page, inspiring her community and beyond.
(One of the many stunning pieces that Antawna Richardson made. This one was taken right before her double mastectomy.)
Determined to honor his cousin’s bravery, Micah embarked on a mission to create a custom shirt for the game. “He drove me crazy looking for someone to make this shirt, I am so glad he was able to get it made in time for the game.” said his mother Monica, surprised by how deeply the experience touched her normally stoic son. The emotional connection Micah has with his cousin’s journey is a side not often seen by those around him.
(As a freshman Lambert leads the Leesburg High Yellow Jackets with 5 fumble recoveries, most of those coming on onside kick attempts.)
The shirt was created by Under God’s Armour, a custom apparel business, and worn proudly by Micah. Photos of the young football player, captured by local photographer shotby.keny, showed the powerful moment Micah’s love for his cousin became visible for all to see. It was a stark reminder that Antawna is just one of so many battling this horrible disease. It was a beautiful tribute to see Micah honor her continued fight.
(Antawna Richardson, a 36-year-old is a talented artist and underwent a double mastectomy this year in her battle with Breast Cancer.)
As Leesburg High continues its football season, Lambert’s on-field accomplishments will undoubtedly grow, but his dedication to family and the emotional strength shown through this gesture may leave an even more lasting impression.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
