Carrie Yancey stood up and cried. Cheers, tears and warmed hearts looked down onto the football field. Carrie was in the bleachers last Friday to watch the halftime homecoming ceremony.Her daughter beamed with pride in her beautiful pink dress. Her husband of 25 years held their daughter tight, determined to make it across the field, determined to make the 50-yard walk.“We were high school sweethearts at Glencoe High School,” Carrie said. “In fact, we started dating in the seventh grade.”Brett and Carrie Yancey have walked through a wonderful life together. Three beautiful daughters, 25 years of teaching, coaching and changing lives. But over the last six years, they have faced rough roads and traversed too many mountains. “We told Brett that we would take him to meet Sara Kate on a golf cart,” Carrie said. “Brett has been very feeble — he carries oxygen with him — we were wondering if he could make it from the visitor’s sideline across the field to the home sideline.”“I don’t need a golf cart — I’m going to walk my baby to the opposite sideline,” Brett told his wife.There, at halftime on the visitor’s sideline, he stood arm-and-arm with his youngest, determined to make the 50-yard walk. It was weeks ago when Brett and Carrie returned from MD Anderson in Houston. The esophageal cancer that Brett had fought for six years had spread to his lungs. Six years of radiation, chemo and experimental treatments — back and forth from Houston to Southside, Alabama.Six years of the girls, in many ways, growing up on their own. Yet, in the midst of his mayhem, Brett had the date Sept. 29, 2023, circled on his calendar: Southside homecoming. He was determined to make the 50-yard walk.“You can do this,” Carrie thought as she stood in the bleachers straining to see her husband. Daughters Savanna, a nurse, and Sydney, a Bama student, stood by Carrie’s side. Southside High School senior Sara Kate, Brett and Carrie’s baby, stood across the field on the visitor’s sideline, clutching her father — ready to make the 50 yard walk. “Brett has fought so hard,” Carrie said. “He’s a true warrior. The news we received at yesterday’s doctor’s visit was not good, but we are staying strong. We’re consulting with doctors to come up with our next course of action.”Carrie was asked how she’s holding up.“We have been surrounded by prayer from our community,” she said in a whisper. Carrie stood in the bleachers, watching her husband and daughter start their walk. She thought of how quickly the time had passed. Thousands of fans held their breaths.Forty-seven-year-old Brett Yancey — a local legend — walked the walk. Slowly shuffling, trying to stand tall.“I need to do this for my baby,” he thought.He was determined to make the 50-yard walk. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house,” Carrie said about the forever moment. “Sara Kate was crowned homecoming queen, and in a way, it gave my husband a burst of energy,” she added. “In a way, it was a cherry on top of his battle.”There’s no telling how long Brett Yancey will be with us. It could be a week, a month, a year or five decades.“We’re taking it day by day,” Carrie said. “I just know that my family has been blessed.”
Carrie Yancey stood up and cried. Cheers, tears and warmed hearts looked down onto the football field. Carrie was in the bleachers last Friday to watch the halftime homecoming ceremony.
Her daughter beamed with pride in her beautiful pink dress. Her husband of 25 years held their daughter tight, determined to make it across the field, determined to make the 50-yard walk.
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“We were high school sweethearts at Glencoe High School,” Carrie said. “In fact, we started dating in the seventh grade.”
Brett and Carrie Yancey have walked through a wonderful life together. Three beautiful daughters, 25 years of teaching, coaching and changing lives. But over the last six years, they have faced rough roads and traversed too many mountains.
“We told Brett that we would take him to meet Sara Kate on a golf cart,” Carrie said. “Brett has been very feeble — he carries oxygen with him — we were wondering if he could make it from the visitor’s sideline across the field to the home sideline.”
“I don’t need a golf cart — I’m going to walk my baby to the opposite sideline,” Brett told his wife.
There, at halftime on the visitor’s sideline, he stood arm-and-arm with his youngest, determined to make the 50-yard walk.
It was weeks ago when Brett and Carrie returned from MD Anderson in Houston. The esophageal cancer that Brett had fought for six years had spread to his lungs. Six years of radiation, chemo and experimental treatments — back and forth from Houston to Southside, Alabama.
Six years of the girls, in many ways, growing up on their own. Yet, in the midst of his mayhem, Brett had the date Sept. 29, 2023, circled on his calendar: Southside homecoming. He was determined to make the 50-yard walk.
“You can do this,” Carrie thought as she stood in the bleachers straining to see her husband. Daughters Savanna, a nurse, and Sydney, a Bama student, stood by Carrie’s side. Southside High School senior Sara Kate, Brett and Carrie’s baby, stood across the field on the visitor’s sideline, clutching her father — ready to make the 50 yard walk.
“Brett has fought so hard,” Carrie said. “He’s a true warrior. The news we received at yesterday’s doctor’s visit was not good, but we are staying strong. We’re consulting with doctors to come up with our next course of action.”
Carrie was asked how she’s holding up.
“We have been surrounded by prayer from our community,” she said in a whisper.
Carrie stood in the bleachers, watching her husband and daughter start their walk. She thought of how quickly the time had passed.
Thousands of fans held their breaths.
Forty-seven-year-old Brett Yancey — a local legend — walked the walk. Slowly shuffling, trying to stand tall.
“I need to do this for my baby,” he thought.
He was determined to make the 50-yard walk.
“There wasn’t a dry eye in the house,” Carrie said about the forever moment. “Sara Kate was crowned homecoming queen, and in a way, it gave my husband a burst of energy,” she added. “In a way, it was a cherry on top of his battle.”
There’s no telling how long Brett Yancey will be with us. It could be a week, a month, a year or five decades.
“We’re taking it day by day,” Carrie said. “I just know that my family has been blessed.”
