Stockbridge’s Homecoming Pink Out Game

Earlier last week, we informed you about the Stockbridge Panthers deciding to go all pink for a good cause. Friday, September 20th was the Panthers Homecoming Game, and although they had a loss that night, the night itself was a victory. It's something you have to see to appreciate. A small town coming together for a great cause, and from the pictures and the reactions, the entire night was a true success!

Sarah Salow Henderson, the woman the entire night was dedicated too, has been fighting Metastatic Breast Cancer, a type of cancer that is incurable. In the closed of Stockbridge Mi Area News & Info Group, Sarah had this to say about her cancer:

Metastatic Breast Cancer is a terrible disease. It is not curable. I have slowed the growth several times but my attempts seem to make it mad and it spreads again. Love others because you don’t know what is happening in their skin. ❤️❤️❤️

The idea originally sparked late on a Sunday night around 10:00 PM in a group chat that the football players have. After the original event was created by the team, the town and community gathered around it and added to the great purpose of the night. The night of the game, Henderson's two sons were named the honorary captains of the team, and even went out onto the field for the coin toss.

The team even all ran out onto the field, each giving a pink carnation to Sarah, who was said to be in tears at the heart felt gesture.

"It was the idea of one, who talked to the captains and asked about it, and it spread from there" said Kim Killinger, statistician for the Panthers and wife of football coach, Jeremy Killinger.

T-Shirts were also specially made for the Homecoming night, which were sold out both days they were available to the community to buy, according to Kim Killinger. The hashtag floating around the event was #sarahstrong.

Sarah has since commented on the event, and has shown her true happiness for all that the small community had done for her, saying in the closed of Stockbridge Mi Area News & Info Group:

I want to thank our community for coming out to the homecoming parade. I was in tears most of time with yards signs, the hugs, the special bouquet of flowers and the ocean of pink. I wish my parents could have seen last night. Our town is so special to me. You all are kind loving souls who want to love.

Sarah also put a post out to the Stockbridge Panthers page, which is the page for the Stockbridge Athletics, which we included below:

Below, we also collected a few photos from homecoming night: