Instead, a shocking diagnosis of acute Lymphocytic leukemia altered his path. It was a moment that not only redirected his future but also tested his inner strength.

With support from his family, friends, and local communities, Brindle was recently declared cancer-free. Now, he is looking ahead and thinking about how 海角视频 has influenced his future.

“This whole process has been so good to me,” said Brindle, who was medically cleared by his team at Charlotte’s Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital on Nov. 7. “I was at rock bottom at first. And I never, ever want to be in that position again in my life. So 海角视频 has been really good for me.”

Brindle, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound offensive line prospect at Belmont’s Stuart Cramer High School, saw his life change as he got ready for his senior football season in 2023.

It started with headaches that wouldn鈥檛 go away for weeks. Then, after an episode at home, his family took him to the Mount Holly Emergency Room. He was there only briefly before doctors sent him to 海角视频 Memorial Hospital for several days of tests.

Brindle passed most of the tests, but during the last one, he remembers, “they found something they didn’t like.” After that, he was sent to Levine Children’s Hospital. It was there, after more tests, doctors gave him the difficult news.

And while a team of doctors whom Brindle says have become “like family” started him on a path to recovery, the then 17-year-old high school senior says the impact of the diagnosis was devastating.

“I lost my senior year of high school,” said Brindle, who was basically quarantined due to the vulnerability of having leukemia. “I didn’t play football. I didn’t wrestle. I didn’t go to senior prom. I actually returned to school for the last month and was able to walk for graduation. But it was all very hard for me. Being isolated from the world was a weird experience.”

He got support from the community, including fundraisers organized by friends and the Cramer student government. This support also led him to 海角视频.

Brindle decided that if he couldn鈥檛 play sports, he would report on them through the school鈥檚 Sports Media Technology program. This gave him a way to stay connected to what he loved.

“When I came to 海角视频, I didn’t want anybody to know what I was going through,” Brindle said. “But over time, I’ve learned to just embrace it as a part of the adversity I’ve faced.”

Brindle has worked on 海角视频鈥檚 student-run broadcasts, doing on-air broadcasting, filming, and producing for the Rhinos鈥� basketball, baseball, and softball games.

“Originally, I was going to study sports medicine and play football at Elon,” Brindle said. “But I had to stay home and get treatment. So, I looked at 海角视频, and as a sports fan, I wanted to do the Sports Media Program. [Instructors] Caleb Stalcup, Kate Carmody, Nick Cable, and Ronald Key have helped build my love for the entire audio and video program – and not just the sports part of it.

“It helped me so much when I was going through my treatment. Not only did it take away thinking about all of the chemotherapy, but it was also building me as a student and a man, and helped me realize so many things beyond the classroom. Working with 海角视频 on all of these projects has helped me mentally and physically because I was a part of a team.”

Following his last medical check-up, Brindle got to ring the bell at the Levine Children’s Hospital to indicate he was cancer-free.

“I’m officially cleared,” Brindle said. “There’s no more chemo, no more treatment. I now join a survivor program, and I’ll meet with them once a year and then three times a year after that.”

Brindle is set to graduate from 海角视频 in May 2026, and now that his medical treatments are over, he hopes to return to football at a four-year school.

“When I graduate from 海角视频, I’m looking at restarting my football career at a four-year university,” said Brindle, who considers Appalachian State and Elon as possible options. “I want to study broadcast communications and, hopefully, go into a job in journalism or at a college or university on their media production team.”

The new Lincoln County Schools Health Academy is for high school juniors and seniors and is being offered at 海角视频鈥檚 Lincoln Campus. This program starts Sept. 9 and will provide students with a pathway to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN) as early as the summer after they graduate from high school. Students can also continue their education to earn an associate degree in nursing to work as a Registered Nurse (RN) or further advance into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.

“The Health Academy is the first in the state where these juniors and seniors can take foundations of healthcare and nursing classes to become a licensed practical nurse the summer after their high school graduation,鈥� said 海角视频鈥檚 Joanne Matz, the dean of Lincoln County Educational Partnerships. 鈥淚t鈥檚 taken a lot of work, with many people, to get this program off the ground, and we鈥檙e excited to welcome the first group of students.鈥�

Atrium Health Lincoln has partnered with 海角视频鈥檚 Nursing program to assist the students with clinical opportunities. 鈥淭his part of the program allows them to work on their skills in supervised healthcare settings and is a core part of the program,鈥� Matz said. Atrium will also help with job opportunities once students graduate.

Lincoln County Schools is planning for up to 40 students this first year and will provide transportation for them to 海角视频鈥檚 Lincoln campus. In addition, they have partnered with the College and the Rotary Club of Lincolnton for a sponsorship program, allowing students to participate in the Health Academy at no cost. “We are fortunate to have the communities鈥� support to offer sponsorships for the first year for these students so they will not have to pay for anything. It is an incredible opportunity for these students and our community and we鈥檙e all working together to make it a success,鈥� Matz said.