Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, July 30, 2015
(BEDFORD) - Bedford lost a super hero and the Marian University football is mourning the loss of its biggest little fan.
On Wednesday, 11-year-old Cole Winnefeld lost his battle to cancer.
He was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at the age of five. He leaves behind his parents Mike and Carol Winnefeld and his sister Lauren.
The Marian University football team tweeted the following: "Cole, we love you and you always have a special place in our hearts! You were wonderful! Rest in Peace, #OurWarrior! We'll always love you!"
Last December, WTHR.com columnist Bob Kravitz wrote about Cole, who was taken in by the Marian football team, the "Big Knights," as he called them, like one of their own.
The boy followed every game the team played, attending when he was physically able, joining in pregame coin tosses and postgame locker room celebrations.
Cole was scheduled for treatment when the team left for the national championship in Daytona Beach, Florida, and the cost of another flight was something the family could not afford, so Cole was going to watch the game from home.
Radio host Dan Dakich contacted Kravitz, offering to cover Cole's airfare. When it was determined it was too risky for Cole to fly commercially in his condition, Colts owner Jim Irsay let him fly in the team plane.
Though the Knights lost the title game, Cole was there and flew home with the team on their charter flight.
Cole was a superhero to Lawrence County residents.
Many Facebook fans replaced their profile photo with the Bat Cole logo - he was a true Super Hero!
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