16-year-old swimmer Hailey Cannaday, who was featured meeting Michael Phelps on ESPN’s My Wish program, has passed away.
Back in July, Cannaday was featured on the ESPN series, which centered on famous athletes granting wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Cannaday has bone cancer. Chemo treatment for the condition caused her to miss her high school team’s awards banquet and not receive her trophy for Most Improved. Phelps surprised her via Skype when she was called to the school to pick the trophy.
In July, she got to spend a day with Phelps at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Phelps was doing his final tune-ups for the Rio Olympics, where he would win five more gold medals to reach a record 23 all-time. You can read about that visit, which was featured in the ESPN series, here.
A number of posts to Cannaday’s Facebook express grief at her apparent passing this week. The posts begin on Friday evening. Friends of Cannaday’s share their condolences with Cannaday’s family, tell favorite stories from her life and celebrate the teen swimmer as a friend.
Donations are being collected for the family here.
AB
Hailey is a rest now. She is in a better place. My condolences to Courtney, her mom, etc and all her friends. We love and miss you Hailey!
Hello everyone. Thank you Swim Swam for recognizing and remembering Hailey. This is her step-father Herman reaching out to communities to try and get help with final expenses to lay Hailey to rest. If anyone could please donate/share here http://www.gofundme.com/hashtaghaileystrong it would be greatly appreciated. Hailey was a strong person and we all are going to miss her very much. May she now rest in peace with no more cancer and no more pain. #HaileyStrong
Mr. Applewhite – we’re so sorry to hear for your loss, and our condolences to your family. I’ve added the link to the article above.
My deepest sympathies to all who had the pleasure of knowing Hailey, especially her mother, I recently lost my son too, There is nothing in this world that is worse.. I am truly sorry
http://negu.org/ Jessie Rees Foundation, helps kids with Cancer.
My heart and prayers go out to her family. I have lost a child to cancer. Nothing worse than burying your child.
There are worse things than losing a swim race. # PERSPECTIVE
Consolidences to her family, I enjoyed seeing the story of her meeting phelps.
I WISH TO GIVE MY HEART FELT CONDOLENCE TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF HAILEY CANNANDAY. GOD WILL GIVE YOU COMFORT. EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW DEATH IS PART OF LIFE’S CIRCLE IT’S NEVER EASY LOSSING A LOVE ONE. GLD UNDERSTAND YOUR PAIN SEEK HIM FOR COMFORT AND ALWAYS REMEMBER HAILEY DASH IN LIFE AND SMILE.