Citizen of the Week: T-Birds Name Boy with Cancer as Honorary Team Captain

The Thunderbirds have their first home game of the season this evening, and while the Friday night lights will shine on the field, it's a 9-year-old boy who will have the spotlight.

Several players from the varsity football team came out to special fundraiser to support "The Friends of Kenny Warren Foundation," an organization that gives money to Long Island families with children with cancer.

At the event, they met James Stanton, an energetic young boy with brain cancer. At only 9 years old, he has had the equivalent of 150 weeks of chemotherapy as he's been battling the disease since he was 2, John Albanese, a T-bird parent whose company ran the event, said. Despite the treatments, James' tumor continues to metastasize.

The players presented him with an autographed football from the entire team, took photos and spent the day hanging out.

After hearing about James' hard journey toward recovery, Coach Michael Patrovich decided to name him the team's honorary captain for their on Friday night.

While Hills East pours their might onto the field battling Centereach, their hearts will also be fighting for James.