Prayers for the Amanda Littlejohn Family

Former All Conference Softball Player Amanda Littlejohn, #42, Loses Cancer Battle




LAKE ELSINORE, CA – Former Campbell standout softball player Amanda Littlejohn, who played on the team during the 2007 and the 2008 seasons and also was an active member of the program in each of the last three seasons, lost her battle with cancer Thursday, Sept. 1, one day prior to her 23rd birthday.

Littlejohn, number 42, had been battling various forms of cancers over the last four years. She was the starting catcher for the Camels during the 2007 and 2008 season. In the summer of 2007 she was diagnosed with melanoma. She fought the disease while continuing to play the game of softball during the spring 2008 season, a year in which she had a historic campaign with a .367 batting average, 84 hits, 15 home runs, a school-record 72 RBIs and helped lead Campbell to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years. Her 3-run homer helped catapult the Camels to a 7-6 victory of UNC- Chapel Hill in the Regional. She ended her career with a batting average of .296,131 hits, 27 doubles, 18 home runs (ninth at Campbell), 96 RBIs (10th all-time at CU), a slugging percentage of .483 (eighth all-time at Campbell) and 214 bases.

The cancer was thought to be in remission until November 2008 when Littlejohn got the tragic news that the cancer had returned and a malignant tumor was found in her brain. Littlejohn, a California native, flew back home to fight the disease once again with the support of her family. After surgery to remove the tumors, Littlejohn was cleared by her doctors to play and given a clean bill of health in July 2009. The joy was short-lived though as two more tumors were discovered in September of 2009. Littlejohn underwent radiation treatment back in California that October. In the spring of 2010 she came back to attend school on the Buies Creek campus for the second semester. Littlejohn was thought to be in remission once again and was preparing to play her final two years of softball only to be back fighting the disease again in early December 2010. She again flew back to home to California to fight the disease once again and be with her family. She was able to make a brief weekend appearance on the Campbell campus in the spring of 2011 for CU's Strikeout Cancer Day which also served as Littlejohn's own Senior Day. Her conditioning worsened over these last few months and she was admitted to hospice care in July of 2011 and passed away on Sept. 1, 2011.

"Our softball family is greatly saddened with the loss of our dear friend," head softball coach Drew Peterson explained. "We will deeply miss her, but we will cling to the daily example she set for us to battle, never give up and never make excuses. She was a true warrior and wonderful friend. It is very meaningful and fitting that on the night of her death, her beloved New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2, and the game was saved by her favorite player, #42 Mariano Rivera, of whose number she wore. Also, CU soccer defeated UNC Wilmington 4-2. It was a blessing from the Lord as if to say, Amanda is with me and she is just fine. Having put her faith in Jesus, we know she is in Paradise today."

Littlejohn is survived by her parents Jim and Kim, and brother Alex. A memorial service will be held in her honor on a date following her memorial service in California. Details for this service will come when available.

 

This is tragic. My thoughts go out to her family and friends.

Hold them close; you never know.

 

Our prayers go out to her family and friends

Such a tragedy to lose a promising young life. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends. Hold your children close, tomorrow is not promised.

 

My daughter got the chance to go to school and play with Amanda. She was an awesome young lady and will be missed by everyone. Please let's all pray earnestly for her family and friends.

 

Amanda

So sorry to hear about this. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.

 

WRAL story:

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/colleges/story/10175778/

 

Thanks for the link phreak,my daughter and the rest of the camels miss her every day