Skip to main content

5-year-old grandson of former Michigan coach dies

  • Author:
  • Publish date:

PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) The 5-year-old grandson of former Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr has died, more than a year after he was diagnosed with a rare, inoperable form of brain cancer.

Chad Carr died Monday in the family's Pittsfield Township home, where the boy had recently entered hospice care, according to his father, Jason Carr.

''He was so full of life and love,'' Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said on his radio show. ''But heaven got stronger. Heaven has another angel now.''

Chad's story brought together the Wolverines' biggest rivals as he entered hospice. Michigan State and Ohio State players wore helmet decals honoring him when they played Saturday. It featured the image of a boy flexing his muscles and ''ChadToughFDN'' after the foundation created by his parents. Jason Carr is a former Michigan quarterback.

Michigan players wrote ''(hash)ChadTough'' on their helmets. Last year, bands from Michigan and Michigan State joined to form (hash)ChadTough on the Spartan Stadium field.

''I texted (Lloyd Carr) to let him know that our thoughts and prayers are with him,'' Spartans basketball coach Tom Izzo said after an 89-65 win over Eastern Michigan. ''I can't imagine what that would be like.''