Fort Worth

Eight-Year-Old Battling Cancer Signs Letter of Intent With TCU Swimming

The next time the Texas Christian University swimming and diving team hits the pool it will be for the Big 12 Championship in Austin later this month.

But on Wednesday afternoon, the team snagged a motivational new recruit just a week after national signing day.

It's a bit unusual for an 8-year-old to sign a letter of intent, but there's good reason for it.

Nathan Lin's mom, Cathy Lin, made it to the NCAA Championships as a swimmer at TCU but he's competing against something else entirely.

At the TCU swimming pool records are set and super heroes can be made.

"But today you're becoming a super Horned Frog swimmer," said coach Richard Sybesma.

The pool is what Nathan had his sights set on Wednesday as well as signing that letter of intent. He shared high-fives and posed for pictures with his new teammates, but nothing beat that first lap as a Horned Frog.

"Awesome," Nathan said afterward.

It's a lap that meant as much to Nathan as it did his mom and dad. Cathy Lin swam for Coach Sybesma 31 years ago, but nothing compared with what she saw on Wednesday.

"It was something else, to watch him swim down, sign the papers. It was really special," Cathy Lin said.

It was a special afternoon because last July Nathan was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He had surgery to remove it and underwent six weeks of chemotherapy. He's now receiving chemo every other month and is even able to get to school for half days.

His mom said support from family, friends and the community has been hugely important to them.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation helped take Nathan to Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando. But on Wednesday it was his mom's former coach giving Nathan another wonderful memory during his battle with cancer.

"And seeing Nathan when he swam that length of the pool and them cheering – special, you know," Sybesma said.

It was a special day for TCU, its swim team and especially Nathan.

"Wait until I'm in college," he said, when asked of his new role on the swim team.

The TCU Athletic Department has embraced Nathan and his fight against cancer. He's met several other athletes in the last few months.

Nathan is being treated at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth, where he lives with his parents and siblings.

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