Meet the San Bernardino football player pursuing his passion despite cancer diagnosis

A college football player in the Inland Empire isn’t letting his cancer diagnosis stop him from pursuing his passion.

Torryn Pinkard, 21, of San Bernardino Valley College, said his entire life is football. The sport is the very core of who he is and what drives him to be his best self.

With so much dedication to his dreams of playing professionally, Pinkard and his family uprooted everything to make it come true. They left Nevada behind for a shot at fulfilling his goal.

Weeks into that dream, however, Pinkard was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that forms in soft tissue or the bone.

“I just wanted to be back on the field, honestly,” he said. “I had just gotten back out there, and I got ripped right away.”

He said despite the diagnosis, he’s determined to continue with his athleticism and help others who are fighting the disease. Even in the toughest battle of his young life, Pinkard said proving that he’s capable of rising above it is something he hopes inspires others.

“He’s the strongest in the weight room, he’s the first one on campus and he’s passionate about everything he do,” said James Griffin, San Bernardino Valley College’s football coach.

Although he may be in the middle of chemotherapy, Pinkard still regularly exercises. He said that sense of normalcy really helps him.

“I go to the gym like three times a day. I feel like being in the gym just makes me feel better,” Pinkard said.

Pinkard said as he navigates his health and his dream, his school’s community has rallied behind him by creating social media hashtag #T-Strong in his honor and contributing to help with his medical bills.

“They’ve all been supportive, and everybody that’s found out has stepped in and been really supportive,” Pinkard said.