By Lindsey Horsting
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The sky looked ominous at the third annual Lift for Life fundraiser held at Syracuse University, but the atmosphere was anything but serious. Syracuse football fans, Otto the Orange, and the cheer squad came to support the men’s football event at Coyne Stadium.
The football team was split into eight teams to compete in a
series of strength and agility challenges.
Throughout the four challenges the teams encouraged each other with
fun-loving trash talk and winning teams celebrated with run and bumps. Defensive end for the Orangemen, Luke
Arciniega, the Captain for “Team Meat” didn’t place first but his team had the
“fastest times in forty-five plate carry and prowler push and pull,” Arciniega
said.
The event was held in honor of former SU punter Robert Long,
who was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer in 2010. Long has beat cancer and he says the support
of the community and the team has been humbling. Long told the team his grandfather passed
away with brain cancer at the age of 35.
“Here we are 50 years later and I’m able to lead a full
and healthy life," Long said. "It’s no longer going to be a death sentence, just a bump in
the road.”
He said the change is due to creating awareness and
fundraising and he hopes this change continues so others can beat the disease
too.
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