A Kicker, a Bag, and a Prayer: Auburn’s Alex McPherson is Kicking More Than FootballsFor AL.com – Good News Feature
Last July, Amber McPherson sent a photo to a friend. It was a quiet, unassuming image—her son, Alex, sitting shirtless on the edge of his hospital bed. But the look in his eyes said more than words ever could.
At 5’9”, the Auburn kicker weighed just 110 pounds. His once-powerful legs—legs that had launched 60-yard field goals and earned him accolades across the SEC—looked too thin to support the weight of a football, let alone the weight of the decision he faced.
Would Alex McPherson, then 19, choose to have his entire large intestine removed? Would he trade his colon—and potentially his athletic future—for a shot at saving his life?
Today, Alex McPherson weighs 162 pounds. He walks with a quiet confidence, a colostomy bag strapped discreetly to his left side. And this Saturday, as he takes the field for Auburn’s annual A-Day spring game, he’s not just kicking footballs—he’s kicking odds, expectations, and fears. He’s back.
If you’re looking for an Auburn Tiger to root for this season, Alex McPherson might just be your guy.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
Eighteen months ago, McPherson began experiencing stomach pain, fatigue, and other symptoms that couldn’t be explained away by stress or training. The usual teenage excuses no longer applied.
Doctors eventually diagnosed him with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract. It’s painful. It’s relentless. And for Alex, it didn’t respond to medication.
“There were days I couldn’t get out of bed,” Alex said. “I was so weak, and honestly, I just didn’t feel like myself anymore. It was terrifying.”
Amber and LaDon McPherson, Alex’s parents, watched helplessly as their youngest son—a former high school All-American and arguably the best kicker in the country—withered away.
“As a mom, all you want to do is fix it,” Amber said. “But we couldn’t. We just prayed. And prayed.”
A Difficult Decision
By July 2024, doctors at UAB were deeply concerned. Alex’s weight had plummeted below 110 pounds. He was on the brink.
“They told me the options,” Alex recalled. “One of them was to remove my colon. It wasn’t just about football anymore. It was about surviving.”
The surgery would be intense. It would mean living with a colostomy bag—a pouch worn outside the body to collect waste. For a college athlete, it was a daunting prospect.
But Alex didn’t hesitate.
“I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ I wanted to live. I wanted to marry Hannah. I wanted to kick again. So yeah, I said yes.”
Surgery, Recovery, and Faith
The surgery took place in late November. For hours, surgeons carefully removed Alex’s large intestine, and when he woke up, life was different. But not over.
“I was sore, yeah. But I felt… lighter,” Alex said. “Like I had a chance again.”
Throughout recovery, his fiancée Hannah Simpson never left his side. The couple, who plan to marry on June 21st, say the experience has only strengthened their bond.
“We were already close, but this?” Hannah said. “This was a whole new level. He’s the strongest person I know.”
Back on the Field
Auburn head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart remembers the first time Alex returned to campus after surgery.
“He walked into the facility, and the room got quiet. But not because people felt sorry for him. It was respect,” Stewart said. “The kid had been to hell and back, and here he was, ready to work.”
Coach Hugh Freeze agrees.
“Alex is everything you want in a player,” Freeze said. “Tough, faithful, hardworking. You want your team to follow a guy like that.”
As of April 2025, Alex has regained over 50 pounds. He’s lifting, running, and—most importantly—kicking again.
“He hasn’t lost a step,” said Stewart. “If anything, he’s sharper. More focused.”
The Power of Faith
Ask Alex how he got through it, and he doesn’t hesitate: “God.”
“There were days I didn’t know if I was going to make it. But I just kept praying. I knew God had a purpose, even if I couldn’t see it at the time.”
Alex and Hannah are active in their local church and have used their journey to inspire others, often sharing their story with youth groups and on social media.
“People reach out all the time, and I try to be honest,” Alex said. “It’s not easy. But I’m living proof that life doesn’t end with a diagnosis.”
What’s Next?
With the A-Day game set for this weekend, Alex McPherson is focused on one thing: making the most of every opportunity.
He still dreams of an NFL career—yes, even with the bag—and says he’s spoken to other athletes who’ve competed at high levels with similar challenges.
“Nothing’s off the table,” he said. “If anything, I feel like I’ve already won.”
And when he walks onto the field this Saturday, wearing his Auburn jersey and carrying the hopes of so many watching from the stands and at home, it won’t just be about football.
It’ll be about faith. About resilience. About love.
About a young man from Fort Payne who didn’t give up—on his dream, on his life, or on the God who carried him through.
A Word from the People Who Know Him Best
“Alex is a fighter,” said Amber. “He’s always been that way. But this? This was different. He fought for his life—and now he’s living it more fully than ever.”
“Every kick he makes now feels like a miracle,” said LaDon, his dad. “I still get goosebumps.”
“I can’t wait to marry him,” Hannah said with a smile. “I’ve always known he was special. Now the whole world does too.”
A Day to Remember
So when Alex McPherson lines up for his first kick at Auburn’s A-Day game, he won’t be thinking about the pain, the surgery, or even the bag on his side.
He’ll be thinking about every prayer that got him there.
And somewhere in the crowd, his mom will probably be taking another photo—this time not shocking, but shining with pride.
Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures. And to Alex McPherson—for the courage to tell this story.
Let me know if you want to include more quotes, stats from his playing days, details on ulcerative colitis, or even an epilogue after the A-Day game. We can also tailor it for specific word counts or formats!
