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SALT LAKE CITY — A 7-year-old boy from Bluffdale whose leg pains turned out to be tumors has died from cancer.
Nixon Whatcott began complaining of leg pain in January 2018, but his mom Janessa Whatcott told PEOPLE she wasn't worried at the time.
"He’s really active, so my husband and I thought maybe he’d sprained his ankle or had a hairline fracture,” Janessa told PEOPLE in May 2018. “He’d be like, ‘Ow, my knee hurts.’ There were a couple times where it hurt really bad … but the next day he’d be off running and playing."
But the leg pains got worse and Janessa and her husband, Nick Whatcott, took Nixon to see a doctor in February 2018 where an X-ray found tumors on his leg bones. More tests showed the tumors were osteosarcoma, the most common form of bone cancer in children.
Nixon underwent chemotherapy and radiation at Primary Children's Hospital and had his right knee and lower leg amputated, but still cheerily ran around with his brothers and participated on his baseball team, who made shirts in his honor for the most recent season.
An avid Utah sports fan, Nixon was embraced by his favorite players from the Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, BYU football and the NFL.
Football is cool, but being able to be around people like this guy is my favorite part. #BYUFootball#NixonStrongpic.twitter.com/akliO0VVWY
— Dylan Collie (@23Collie) June 17, 2018
RSL players were honored to have Nixon Whatcott as their Kick Childhood Cancer game day captain. #NixonStrong#ScarvesUppic.twitter.com/ZdnNc0P36C
— RSL Foundation (@RSLfoundation) September 19, 2018
#FlyEagelsFly#EaglesNation @Haloti_Ngata92 @halotingatafamilyfoundation #nixonstrongpic.twitter.com/ewiNXFpOsR
— Michael.Devoe (@4MikeD) November 12, 2018
Nixon was also invited to attend a hunt in Texas for persons with disabilities in February.
Nick and Janessa Whatcott have been chronicling Nixon's cancer journey on Facebook and Instagram and announced that he took a turn for the worst this past week. Nixon died on Tuesday.
"Last night at 8:54 Nixon completed his deployment here on earth. He left in peace wearing a Navy Seal trident on his chest," the post said. "He fought so long and hard and now gets to continue his next mission in Heaven with his big brother Cole."
A public viewing will be held on June 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home located at 1007 W. South Jordan Parkway in South Jordan. Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 1 at 12 p.m. at Riverton High School. The family has asked in lieu of flowers for donations to the NixonStrong Foundation, created to help children with cancer and their families. A GoFundMe account* was also set up to help cover hospital fees.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
