Pacer seeks bone marrow donations - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

One of the stars of the Indiana Pacers is on a mission to help others, in memory of a fan he never got to meet.

Roy Hibbert sat down with Eyewitness News reporter Jennie Runevitch this week, to talk about the young boy who's changed his life.

Pacers player Roy Hibbert has legions of young fans.

But one in particular, thousands of miles away, made a special impression: 12 year old Lee Eddins, of Sacramento, California.

"They said he was a big basketball fan. He'd been a fan of mine since I was in college," Hibbert explained. "I was very touched and I was taken aback because he could have picked Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, but he picked me. So I wanted to be a part of this kid's life."

But Lee's life was in danger.

Fighting stage four leukemia since February, a recent bone marrow transplant, didn't take.

This month, the boy who idolized Indiana's star center had just one goal.

"They told me his last wish was to meet myself and Floyd Mayweather. So I said I want to go out there and meet this kid."

Off the court, it was set.

Hibbert sent Lee Pacers gear and booked a flight to California.

But on the day of his scheduled visit, as he prepared to leave for the airport, Hibbert got a phone call from a Pacers staffer.

"I could tell in her voice, she's like, 'I got bad news, buddy'. I was like, 'He passed away?' And she was like, 'yeah" and I was like oh no. He was a fighter, from what I've heard, and it's just...I wish you know, I could have went out there a day earlier."

Though heartbroken, Hibbert still wanted to be there for Lee's family.

So he flew to California anyway.

"I met the legal guardians. I met the brothers, sisters and the whole family. I went up to his room. He has decked out Pacers stuff. It was very touching. Of course, I wish I could have met him, though," Hibbert said. "I didn't want anybody to know about it, but the family wanted to get the message out about, you know, getting swabbed so you can possibly be a bone marrow match with somebody."

Hibbert had planned to get swabbed in California to see if he could potentially be a match for Lee.

Now, he plans to join the bone marrow registry in Lee's honor and hopes Pacers fans do the same.

"You go online to register, they send you a packet. You swab your mouth and send it right back. You never, know, a month or two later, a year, you could be a match for somebody," Hibbert said. "You could change someone's life."

Hibbert hopes to inspire people to save a life, in memory of a student of the game - the young basketball fan he says he'll never forget.

"I know he's looking down on me and I hope that he knows that I heard his story and I wanted his story to live on," Hibbert said.

"He's changed my life and I didn't even meet him."

National Bone Marrow Donor Program: http://marrow.org/Home.aspx