Waynesburg University student, cancer patient, heading to Super Bowl
Corey Fischer, left, and his girlfriend, Haley Frizzell, at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he is undergoing treatment for cancer. Fischer will be attending Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles, courtesy of T.J. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Courtesy of Corey Fischer
Waynesburg University senior Corey Fischer was gifted tickets to the upcoming Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. The 21-year-old is battling Ewing sarcoma.
Courtesy of Corey Fischer
Corey Fischer, an avid Pittsburgh sports fan, left, is pictured with the Penguins mascot, along with his girlfriend, Haley Frizzell, and neighbor Courtney Conway. Recently, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt presented Fischer with Super Bowl tickets while Fischer was undergoing in-patient chemotherapy at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Waynesburg University senior Corey Fischer, a pitcher for the Yellow Jackets baseball team, shows some of the Pittsburgh Penguins memorabilia he received at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he is an oncology patient undergoing chemotherapy treatment for Ewing sarcoma. Fischer FaceTimed with Penguins Sidney Crosby and Jason Zucker.
Courtesy of Corey Fischer
Corey Fischer, right, an avid Pitt Panther fan and Pittsburgh sports fan, is shown at a Panther game with, from left, his cousin, Layton Cameron, uncle Gary Fischer, cousin Lance Fischer, and his father, Scot Fischer.
Corey Fischer, a Waynesburg University senior marketing major and baseball player, is pictured with his girlfriend, Haley Frizzell, at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh during inpatient chemotherapy treatment for Ewing sarcoma. Fischer, who was diagnosed in November 2021, was gifted tickets to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Courtesy of Corey Fischer
Corey Fischer, a senior, right-handed pitcher for the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets, was diagnosed in November 2021 with Ewing sarcoma, and is currently undergoing treatment at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Corey Fischer, a Waynesburg University senior who plays baseball for the Yellow Jackets, recently received two tickets to attend Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles, during a Zoom chat with Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt.
Waynesburg University student Corey Fischer, who is battling cancer, recently got a super surprise from Pittsburgh Steeler T.J. Watt.
The linebacker gifted Fischer with two tickets to attend Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles.
Fischer, a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan, found out he will be heading to the game during a surprise Zoom call while he was in UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he was undergoing a round of in-patient chemotherapy for Ewing sarcoma.
“I was in complete shock,” said Fischer. “I’m a big sports fan – big Steelers fan, Pitt fan and Penguins fan – and it’s a sports fan’s dream to go to a Super Bowl.”
Watt told Fischer that he was jealous the 21-year-old would be at the Super Bowl, “because you are about to do something I’m not able to do this year.
“We weren’t able to get the job done. We weren’t able to go to the Super Bowl. But you are, my friend. You’re going to the Super Bowl,” Watt said to Fischer.
During their chat, Fischer told Watt, who tied the NFL season sack record, he enjoyed watching him “ball out” this season.
“I’m glad I’ve gotten to do interviews after talking to him, though, because I don’t think I had much of a reaction when he told me about the tickets, but it was because I was shocked,” said Fischer.
Fischer, a marketing major and pitcher for the Yellow Jackets baseball team, was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma on Nov. 12.
Before the diagnosis, Fischer thought he might have injured his hip.
“I was in a lot of pain. I couldn’t walk. I didn’t sleep for 2½ months,” he said.
At the Nov. 12 appointment at Children’s, the doctor told Fischer they’d likely notify him of results in about a week.
“But they called as soon as I got home, and I pretty much knew that couldn’t be good news,” Fischer said.
His treatment protocol, which includes chemotherapy and radiation treatment, is expected to take about nine months.
Fischer will start another round of chemotherapy the day after he returns from the Super Bowl.
Fischer was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers organization and Children’s to receive the Super Bowl package, which includes hotel accommodations and airfare.
His father, Scot, will accompany him.
Fischer said his mother, Gina, a nurse at Children’s Hospital, “hasn’t left my side pretty much throughout this whole thing.”
“So she’s happy that my dad and I will get to spend time together,” said Fischer.
Fischer and his dad are scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles early Friday, and plan to spend the weekend sight-seeing before attending the game.
They plan to visit Santa Monica pier and Rodeo Drive, among other places.
As for the game, which pits the Cincinnati Bengals against the hometown Los Angeles Rams, Fischer likely will be rooting for the Steelers’ AFC North rivals.
“I tell people this Bengals team is different, they’re likable,” he said, noting that former Pitt wide receiver Tyler Boyd will be on the field for Cincinnati.
But he’s betting the Rams, led by another Pitt all-time great, Aaron Donald, will win the NFL season finale.
Fischer plans to bring a Terrible Towel to the game, and wear a T.J. Watt jersey.
“It would have been great if the Steelers had made it,” said Fischer, “but no matter who wins, it’s going to be a great experience.”