The Pittsburgh Basketball Club is very proud to announce the winner of the 2018 Luke Blanock Courage Award is Bryson Ackerman.
Bryson is 6 years old and is in the 1st grade in the South Fayette School District. He is one of 3 children in Western PA that have been diagnosed with Acute Flaccid Myelitis, or AFM. It affects the body’s nervous system, specifically the spinal cord, and can cause paralysis.
Bryson has worked every day to recover in rehab at levels to make any adult beam with pride. He improves each and every day and we are honored to award Bryson the Luke Blanock Courage Award. Bryson WILL defeat this condition.
Bryson will be honored at center court after the Pine Richland- Canon McMillan game on Sunday January 27, 2019 at the 2019 Pittsburgh High School Classic. The game will tip off at 1:30 PM
The Luke Blanock award was founded in 2016 for members of our basketball family who have staged a battle in a game far greater than a basketball game.
The award was appropriately named for Luke Blanock of Canon McMillan High School. Luke’s strength and perseverance while battling a rare form of cancer serves as an example to each and every one of us that life is to be lived to its fullest every day.
PREVIOUS BLANOCK AWARD WINNERS
2015
Luke Blanock Canon McMillan High School
Richard Owens Cornell High School
2016
Joe Fryz Moon High School
2017
Issac DeGregorio Hampton High School
Dom Giallornardo Mt. Pleasant High School
