{"id":5705,"date":"2025-04-21T23:42:38","date_gmt":"2025-04-21T23:42:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705"},"modified":"2025-04-21T23:42:38","modified_gmt":"2025-04-21T23:42:38","slug":"the-photo-amber-mcpherson-sent-me-was-shocking-its-a-photo-of-her-son-alex-taken-last-july-auburn-kicker-alex-mcpherson-weighed-110-pounds-in-july-of-2024-and-he-had-a-decision-to-make-wo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705","title":{"rendered":"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking. It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July. Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make. Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed? Would the surgery save his football career and save his life? Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story. It\u2019s a story about drive and faith. It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live. It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson. 18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well. A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine). Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds. Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side. Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st. The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy. Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze. Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best. And may he have an A-Day Game to remember. *Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>A Kicker, a Bag, and a Prayer: Auburn\u2019s Alex McPherson is Kicking More Than Footballs<\/strong><em>For AL.com \u2013 Good News Feature<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Last July, Amber McPherson sent a photo to a friend. It was a quiet, unassuming image\u2014her son, Alex, sitting shirtless on the edge of his hospital bed. But the look in his eyes said more than words ever could.<\/p>\n<p>At 5\u20199\u201d, the Auburn kicker weighed just 110 pounds. His once-powerful legs\u2014legs that had launched 60-yard field goals and earned him accolades across the SEC\u2014looked too thin to support the weight of a football, let alone the weight of the decision he faced.<\/p>\n<p>Would Alex McPherson, then 19, choose to have his entire large intestine removed? Would he trade his colon\u2014and potentially his athletic future\u2014for a shot at saving his life?<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019s annual A-Day spring game, he\u2019s not just kicking footballs\u2014he\u2019s kicking odds, expectations, and fears. He\u2019s back.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for an Auburn Tiger to root for this season, Alex McPherson might just be your guy.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>The Diagnosis That Changed Everything<\/h3>\n<p>Eighteen months ago, McPherson began experiencing stomach pain, fatigue, and other symptoms that couldn\u2019t be explained away by stress or training. The usual teenage excuses no longer applied.<\/p>\n<p>Doctors eventually diagnosed him with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract. It\u2019s painful. It\u2019s relentless. And for Alex, it didn\u2019t respond to medication.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere were days I couldn&#8217;t get out of bed,\u201d Alex said. \u201cI was so weak, and honestly, I just didn\u2019t feel like myself anymore. It was terrifying.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Amber and LaDon McPherson, Alex\u2019s parents, watched helplessly as their youngest son\u2014a former high school All-American and arguably the best kicker in the country\u2014withered away.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a mom, all you want to do is fix it,\u201d Amber said. \u201cBut we couldn\u2019t. We just prayed. And prayed.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>A Difficult Decision<\/h3>\n<p>By July 2024, doctors at UAB were deeply concerned. Alex&#8217;s weight had plummeted below 110 pounds. He was on the brink.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey told me the options,\u201d Alex recalled. \u201cOne of them was to remove my colon. It wasn\u2019t just about football anymore. It was about surviving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The surgery would be intense. It would mean living with a colostomy bag\u2014a pouch worn outside the body to collect waste. For a college athlete, it was a daunting prospect.<\/p>\n<p>But Alex didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI said, \u2018Let\u2019s do it.\u2019 I wanted to live. I wanted to marry Hannah. I wanted to kick again. So yeah, I said yes.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Surgery, Recovery, and Faith<\/h3>\n<p>The surgery took place in late November. For hours, surgeons carefully removed Alex\u2019s large intestine, and when he woke up, life was different. But not over.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was sore, yeah. But I felt\u2026 lighter,\u201d Alex said. \u201cLike I had a chance again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Throughout recovery, his fianc\u00e9e Hannah Simpson never left his side. The couple, who plan to marry on June 21st, say the experience has only strengthened their bond.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were already close, but this?\u201d Hannah said. \u201cThis was a whole new level. He\u2019s the strongest person I know.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Back on the Field<\/h3>\n<p>Auburn head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart remembers the first time Alex returned to campus after surgery.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe walked into the facility, and the room got quiet. But not because people felt sorry for him. It was respect,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cThe kid had been to hell and back, and here he was, ready to work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Coach Hugh Freeze agrees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlex is everything you want in a player,\u201d Freeze said. \u201cTough, faithful, hardworking. You want your team to follow a guy like that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As of April 2025, Alex has regained over 50 pounds. He\u2019s lifting, running, and\u2014most importantly\u2014kicking again.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe hasn\u2019t lost a step,\u201d said Stewart. \u201cIf anything, he\u2019s sharper. More focused.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>The Power of Faith<\/h3>\n<p>Ask Alex how he got through it, and he doesn\u2019t hesitate: \u201cGod.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere were days I didn\u2019t know if I was going to make it. But I just kept praying. I knew God had a purpose, even if I couldn\u2019t see it at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople reach out all the time, and I try to be honest,\u201d Alex said. \u201cIt\u2019s not easy. But I\u2019m living proof that life doesn\u2019t end with a diagnosis.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>What\u2019s Next?<\/h3>\n<p>With the A-Day game set for this weekend, Alex McPherson is focused on one thing: making the most of every opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>He still dreams of an NFL career\u2014yes, even with the bag\u2014and says he&#8217;s spoken to other athletes who\u2019ve competed at high levels with similar challenges.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNothing\u2019s off the table,\u201d he said. \u201cIf anything, I feel like I\u2019ve already won.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019t just be about football.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019ll be about faith. About resilience. About love.<\/p>\n<p>About a young man from Fort Payne who didn\u2019t give up\u2014on his dream, on his life, or on the God who carried him through.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>A Word from the People Who Know Him Best<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cAlex is a fighter,\u201d said Amber. \u201cHe\u2019s always been that way. But this? This was different. He fought for his life\u2014and now he\u2019s living it more fully than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEvery kick he makes now feels like a miracle,\u201d said LaDon, his dad. \u201cI still get goosebumps.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t wait to marry him,\u201d Hannah said with a smile. \u201cI\u2019ve always known he was special. Now the whole world does too.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>A Day to Remember<\/h3>\n<p>So when Alex McPherson lines up for his first kick at Auburn\u2019s A-Day game, he won\u2019t be thinking about the pain, the surgery, or even the bag on his side.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019ll be thinking about every prayer that got him there.<\/p>\n<p>And somewhere in the crowd, his mom will probably be taking another photo\u2014this time not shocking, but shining with pride.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures. And to Alex McPherson\u2014for the courage to tell this story.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>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!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; A Kicker, a Bag, and a Prayer: Auburn\u2019s Alex McPherson is Kicking More Than FootballsFor AL.com \u2013 Good News Feature Last July, Amber McPherson sent a photo to a &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":5706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[615],"class_list":["post-5705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football","tag-the-photo-amber-mcpherson-sent-me-was-shocking"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking.It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July.Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make.Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed?Would the surgery save his football career and save his life?Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story.It\u2019s a story about drive and faith.It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live.It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson.18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well.A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine).Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds.Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side.Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st.The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy.Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze.Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best.And may he have an A-Day Game to remember.*Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking.It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July.Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make.Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed?Would the surgery save his football career and save his life?Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story.It\u2019s a story about drive and faith.It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live.It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson.18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well.A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine).Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds.Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side.Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st.The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy.Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze.Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best.And may he have an A-Day Game to remember.*Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&nbsp; A Kicker, a Bag, and a Prayer: Auburn\u2019s Alex McPherson is Kicking More Than FootballsFor AL.com \u2013 Good News Feature Last July, Amber McPherson sent a photo to a &hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Asport\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-21T23:42:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Admin1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Admin1\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Admin1\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a63da2e56319023144668e6717055c09\"},\"headline\":\"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking. It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July. Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make. Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed? Would the surgery save his football career and save his life? Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story. It\u2019s a story about drive and faith. It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live. It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson. 18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well. A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine). Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds. Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side. Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st. The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy. Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze. Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best. And may he have an A-Day Game to remember. *Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures.\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-21T23:42:38+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705\"},\"wordCount\":1427,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"keywords\":[\"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking\"],\"articleSection\":[\"FOOTBALL\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705\",\"name\":\"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking.It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July.Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make.Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed?Would the surgery save his football career and save his life?Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story.It\u2019s a story about drive and faith.It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live.It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson.18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well.A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine).Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds.Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side.Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st.The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy.Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze.Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best.And may he have an A-Day Game to remember.*Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures.\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-21T23:42:38+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a63da2e56319023144668e6717055c09\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"\",\"contentUrl\":\"\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?p=5705#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking. It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July. Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make. Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed? Would the surgery save his football career and save his life? Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story. It\u2019s a story about drive and faith. It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live. It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson. 18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well. A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine). Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds. Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side. Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st. The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy. Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze. Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best. And may he have an A-Day Game to remember. *Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures.\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/\",\"name\":\"Asport\",\"description\":\"Always for Sport\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a63da2e56319023144668e6717055c09\",\"name\":\"Admin1\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d3f1a3acc2b5542dbfb9acb9f1c3f1ed07e528b7aa9bb345a0ba2eaa8c84ffb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d3f1a3acc2b5542dbfb9acb9f1c3f1ed07e528b7aa9bb345a0ba2eaa8c84ffb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d3f1a3acc2b5542dbfb9acb9f1c3f1ed07e528b7aa9bb345a0ba2eaa8c84ffb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Admin1\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/asport.com.ng\\\/?author=6\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking.It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July.Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make.Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed?Would the surgery save his football career and save his life?Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story.It\u2019s a story about drive and faith.It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live.It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson.18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well.A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine).Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds.Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side.Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st.The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy.Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze.Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best.And may he have an A-Day Game to remember.*Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking.It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July.Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make.Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed?Would the surgery save his football career and save his life?Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story.It\u2019s a story about drive and faith.It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live.It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson.18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well.A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine).Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds.Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side.Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st.The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy.Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze.Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best.And may he have an A-Day Game to remember.*Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures.","og_description":"&nbsp; A Kicker, a Bag, and a Prayer: Auburn\u2019s Alex McPherson is Kicking More Than FootballsFor AL.com \u2013 Good News Feature Last July, Amber McPherson sent a photo to a &hellip;","og_url":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705","og_site_name":"Asport","article_published_time":"2025-04-21T23:42:38+00:00","author":"Admin1","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Admin1"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705"},"author":{"name":"Admin1","@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/#\/schema\/person\/a63da2e56319023144668e6717055c09"},"headline":"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking. It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July. Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make. Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed? Would the surgery save his football career and save his life? Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story. It\u2019s a story about drive and faith. It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live. It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson. 18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well. A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine). Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds. Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side. Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st. The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy. Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze. Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best. And may he have an A-Day Game to remember. *Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures.","datePublished":"2025-04-21T23:42:38+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705"},"wordCount":1427,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"","keywords":["The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking"],"articleSection":["FOOTBALL"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705","url":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705","name":"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking.It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July.Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make.Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed?Would the surgery save his football career and save his life?Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story.It\u2019s a story about drive and faith.It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live.It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson.18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well.A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine).Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds.Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side.Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st.The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy.Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze.Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best.And may he have an A-Day Game to remember.*Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures.","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"","datePublished":"2025-04-21T23:42:38+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/#\/schema\/person\/a63da2e56319023144668e6717055c09"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705#primaryimage","url":"","contentUrl":""},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=5705#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The photo Amber McPherson sent me was shocking. It\u2019s a photo of her son Alex taken last July. Auburn kicker Alex McPherson weighed 110 pounds in July of 2024, and he had a decision to make. Would he choose to have his entire large intestine removed? Would the surgery save his football career and save his life? Today I\u2019m putting the finishing touches on my Sunday AL.com Good News story. It\u2019s a story about drive and faith. It\u2019s a story about a young man who wondered if he would live. It\u2019s a story being told to me by Fort Payne, AL\u2019s Alex McPherson. 18 months ago Alex didn\u2019t feel well. A long saga had begun as Alex was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and ended 4 months ago with the removal of Alexis\u2019 colon (his entire large intestine). Last summer, UAB doctors were concerned when Alex\u2019s weight dropped below 110 pounds. Today, they are rooting for the 162 pound kicker who is playing football with a colostomy bag strapped to his left side. Alex will be married to his fiance Hannah Simpson come June 21st. The Auburn spring football game is this weekend, and Alex McPherson is ready to show the world that he\u2019s back- if you are looking for an Auburn played for which to root, Alex might be your guy. Come Sunday morning, my Good News story on Al.com will feature comments from Alex, his fiance Hannah Simpson, his parents LaDon and Amber, Auburn football head athletic trainer Robbie Stewart and Tigers\u2019 head football coach Hugh Freeze. Until then, please wish Alex McPherson your best. And may he have an A-Day Game to remember. *Thanks to Amber McPherson and Hannah Simpson for the pictures."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/#website","url":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/","name":"Asport","description":"Always for Sport","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/#\/schema\/person\/a63da2e56319023144668e6717055c09","name":"Admin1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d3f1a3acc2b5542dbfb9acb9f1c3f1ed07e528b7aa9bb345a0ba2eaa8c84ffb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d3f1a3acc2b5542dbfb9acb9f1c3f1ed07e528b7aa9bb345a0ba2eaa8c84ffb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d3f1a3acc2b5542dbfb9acb9f1c3f1ed07e528b7aa9bb345a0ba2eaa8c84ffb0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Admin1"},"url":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?author=6"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5705","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5705"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5705\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}