Laney High School football player DJ McLeod, 18, dies after terminal cancer diagnosis

Laney football player DJ McLeod lost his battle with cancer on Friday and died at 18 years old, his mother and the team shared on social media.

In an online journal entry, mother Ashanti Craine wrote, “I asked God to heal my son. I asked God to stop the pain, the cancer and to give him peace. Today at 12:55pm God answered that prayer. My baby boy is sitting next to God, who I know received him with open arms.”

A tweet from the Laney football team’s account read, “Sadly, we are informing you that Darnell McLeod, AKA DJ, has passed away peacefully. DJ’s personal drive and work ethic as not only a student-athlete but as a young teenager battling cancer helped galvanize all of us to take on each day with a positive attitude and to keep working hard no matter what the situation.”

STAYING POSTIVE THROUGH CANCER’I keep a smile on my face’: Laney football player fights on despite terminal cancer diagnosis

Doctors discovered a third tumor in DJ in January, ruling them inoperable. Speaking from his hospital bed in January, McLeod reiterated his relentlessly positive attitude despite his diagnosis.

“I just keep a smile on my face, that’s really it. I just smile and make everything happy,” he said.

Just weeks ago, McLeod participated in his high school graduation ceremony at UNC Children’s Hospital in Chapel Hill.

In June, a GoFund Me was created to help DJ and his family with medical expenses. To date, the fundraiser has brought more than $40,000 in donations. If you would like to help, go online to https://www.gofundme.com/f/fundraising-for-dj-mcleod.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington NC high school football player DJ McLeod dies of cancer