In a fourth grade paper, men’s basketball assistant coach Tanner Smith documented his three wishes: to get a dog, to flourish in basketball and finally to help children facing cancer. Fast forward to current day and all three of those wishes have been fulfilled. Smith received a golden retriever puppy the following Christmas, he was able to play professional basketball after a successful collegiate career and his non-profit, Tanner’s Totes, has made over 7,000 children with cancer smile.
His desire to help those with cancer came from his father, who has been fighting with cancer and related ailments since Smith was two years old.