CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –– The UNC football community lost a beloved member on October 12th when Tylee Craft, 23, succumbed to his two-and-a-half year battle with lung cancer. His impact, however, continues to resonate through the halls of UNC and beyond.
On Sunday mourners gathered at Sumter High School in South Carolina, Craft’s alma mater, wearing Carolina blue instead of the traditional funeral attire—a fitting tribute to a young man who truly embodied the spirit of UNC. The service brought together the North Carolina football team, staff, Craft’s family and the Sumter community to celebrate a life that touched countless hearts.
“I think all of us are here to have an impact on something and somebody,” reflected UNC head coach Mack Brown. “Whether you’re here 73 years or 23 years, your impact is shown by the influence you have on people’s lives more than the amount of time you’ve spent here.Yesterday it was very very obvious that he changed so many lives.”
The day of Craft’s passing coincided with UNC’s game against Georgia Tech, where receiver J.J. Jones, Craft’s closest friend, honored him in a powerful way. Jones requested that he wear Tylee’s jersey number for the game and the blessing was given by his mother, September. However, her permission was given on the condition that anyone wearing her son’s number needed to see the endzone and Jones did just that.
It was a poignant salute. One final goodbye.
“That’s my favorite memory in football ever, because of how close me and Tylee were and just being able to do that for him was something I’ll always be grateful for,” J.J. said. “It was cool to see one three back out there.”
His impact extended far beyond football. Off the field Tylee was also a phenomenal student.
“He wanted his degree, he wanted to be a part of the program whether it was on the field or in the classroom,” Brown said.
Wayne McDonnell, a professor in the Exercise and Sports Science department, witnessed firsthand Craft’s dedication as a student in his Finance and Economics of Sport class. From the moment he met him, he knew Tylee was special.
“He had every excuse in the world to not show up to class,” McDonnell, a no-nonsense native of the Bronx, N.Y., recalled. “But not once did he use his circumstances as an excuse.”
Accountability is a virtue McDonnell instills in his students every day, yet with Tylee it was never an issue. His intellectual curiosity and passion for sports fueled him each day. Despite his illness, Craft only missed six classes, always communicating his absences in advance.
“If he can maintain that mindset, that commitment, not a single one of my other students can make an excuse anymore,” McDonnell added. “He was a role model not just in life or death, but the standard for all students and the perfect example of dignity, grace and excellence.”
Coach Brown’s philosophy that a commitment to Carolina isn’t just a four-year decision, but a 40-year one resonates particularly strongly in light of Craft’s legacy.
“This team will come out of this season with more life lessons than probably any team I’ve had,” he said. “So will that help them more when they’re 40 than winning two more games? I don’t know.”
But I believe he does know and so do his players. Winning isn’t easy, especially for a team battling adversity both on and off the field, but what they learn and experience now will prepare them even more for life’s diverse challenges.
Tylee Craft’s name will forever be etched in Tar Heel history. The nutrition center just outside the locker room has been renamed in his honor, serving as a permanent reminder of his impact on the UNC community.
“The warmth of this smile is what I’ll miss the most,” McDonnell said. “So accountable, so responsible, so thoughtful. He left a profound impression on me and is a wonderful lesson for all of us.”
In his brief but impactful life, Tylee Craft exemplified what it truly means to be a Tar Heel—displaying resilience, dedication, and grace in the face of extraordinary challenges. His story serves as a powerful reminder that life’s true measure isn’t in its length, but in its depth and the lives it touches along the way.