There were a lot of things 5-year-old Chad Carr didn't get to do before he died in his father's arms on Nov. 23 after a yearlong battle with brain cancer. He never learned how to ride a bike. He didn't graduate from kindergarten. He never grew big enough or strong enough to make a three-point basket on the basketball rim in his family's backyard.
But surrounded by family in the living room of their Pittsfield Township home on Sunday night, Nov. 22, the Carrs celebrated Chad's life and all the things he was able to do in his short time on earth. He made people laugh to tears. His smile turned the gloomiest days bright. He galvanized communities. He made bitter sports rivals set their differences aside. And he made the world care about diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG -- the disease that ended his life.
Chad's condition, more than just attracting social media attention and the giving rise to the #ChadTough hashtag, helped raised awareness and money toward the fight against pediatric brain cancer and, more specifically, DIPG. Jason and Tammi Carr have become champions in the fight, starting two successful fundraising campaigns in the process.
Immediately after Chad's Sept. 2014 diagnosis, the family launched The ChadTough Fund at U-M's Mott Children's Hospital to help families battling pediatric cancers. As of Nov. 23, the ChadTough Fund had raised more than $170,000. They launched The Chad Tough Foundation earlier this summer to raise awareness and funds, and in less than six months of the foundation people have donated close to $250,000.
Chad's uncle, Andy Vigo, was with many other family members comforting Chad, his parents Tammi and Jason Carr, and his brothers Tommy and CJ, as Sunday night turned into Monday morning and, ultimately, Chad's final hours. "It isn't often that you're allowed the opportunity to say goodbye, so it was really nice to see him and to tell him that we love him. (That) night was just the family, so it was a powerful thing, not just for the adults, but for the kids. Everybody understood and appreciated what was happening," said Vigo.
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"It's a situation that you don't wish for anybody, but what's come of this has been unbelievable."
There have been a number of people in the University of Michigan community who were vocal in their support of the Carr family, mostly thanks to the connections the family has to the school. Jason Carr is a former Michigan quarterback, and Chad is the grandson of former Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr and ex-Michigan All-American defensive back Tom Curtis. Tammi Carr is a former development coordinator for Mott Children's Hospital.
Some members of the U-M support system include new football coach Jim Harbaugh and his wife, Sarah Harbaugh, softball coach Carol Hutchins, and men's basketball coach John Beilein. Harbaugh, who sent world renowned spiritual healer Dr. Issam Nemah to be with the family Sunday, said Monday night on his radio show that heaven got stronger by gaining another angel in Chad. "It's incredible sadness, and I don't know if it's going to get any better anytime soon," he said. "But his fight and his whole family's fight -- the Carr and Curtis family -- the sanctity of life, you saw it so much in him. He was so full of life and love."
Hutchins and her team have been among the leading supporters, taking part in the annual Run Tough for Chad Tough Races in Saline this fall and making Chad and his family the guests of honor during a game this spring. "This is a sad moment for the entire Michigan family, and a part of that family the Carr family," Hutchins said.
"Our team was privileged to meet Chad and had the opportunity to support him. My team was very saddened to learn of his passing ... and will continue to honor him with our support in the fight against cancer."
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Beilein also gave a heartfelt message about Chad's death prior to his Monday press conference. Fighting back tears, the men's basketball coach said that the entire Michigan family has followed the situation closely. Assistant coaches from his and Ohio State's basketball teams went to the Carr's home two weeks ago and decorated it in Christmas lights. With Chad's condition worsening, the family wanted the opportunity to celebrate one last Christmas with him. "Our condolences go out to all the Carrs. ... It's a sad day. ... The positive will be an awareness of childhood brain cancer and what we can all do going forward. It's tough to talk basketball," he said.
Support came from everywhere, even Michigan's rivals. Michigan State's band spelled out ChadTough on the field after last year's U-M/MSU game. The Spartans and Buckeyes also put a decals for the family's foundation during last weekend's game. Even before Monday, ESPN's "College Gameday" spent time with the family and in Ann Arbor for a piece that will air on this weekend's show about Chad.
The family's roller coaster battle over the past 15 months won't be in vain, Tammi Carr said. While the family's mission all along was to heal Chad, the bigger mission was to make sure no other families have to deal with the nightmare that DIPG presents, and fighting for that cause will be Chad's lasting legacy. "The first step is the foundation. That's foremost. I hope his legacy is that he and Lauren Hill are the two pioneers who help find a cure for DIPG. He was the toughest little guy I've ever been around and he fought to the very end. I hope he's part of the discussion when they cure this terrible disease," Vigo added.
Hill was a 19-year-old Indiana native and basketball player for Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati who died of DIPG in April. As is the case with 90 percent of children diagnosed with DIPG, Chad died less than 18 months after getting the news. His family spent the time making memories.
They took a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World last fall and recently went back again, to give him one more experience with Mickey Mouse. Vacations to Disney World, Sea World, and to see grandparents often crossed over between trips to New York and other places for special treatments and experimental trials. Everything was an option in his treatment, which was based at U-M's Mott Children's Hospital, but extended to experimental trials at a New York hospital and even experimental treatments in the final days after the family announced Nov. 11 he would enter hospice.
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The initial estimates were 9-to-12 months so as Chad moved past in September, the family was excited but conflicted. "I wish I could explain time to people," Tammi said about their process. "You want it to speed up, you want it to slow down. To speed up so you can get over the hump, to slow down so it doesn't go too fast, because you don't want it to go. "
But Tammi's professional experience, her years working in development for Mott connecting many of the most famous Wolverines to donate to build the current hospital, was thrust into Chad's world. Friends helped organize a fundraising run last fall to support the family's medical expenses but the support was so strong that it became a cause. The family created the ChadTough Foundation to fight pediatric brain cancer and began to spread the word. There were garage sales around the country in Chad's name (because he loved garage sales), there was a second annual run in early October. It brought in more than 1,000 participants and raised over $120,000 for the charity.
When the charity went public in May, Tammi pointed out it was for more than just Chad, it was to prevent their burden from falling on another family. "(Basketball player) Lauren Hill was a fantastic ambassador for DIPG, and she did everything she could in the time she had, but ⦠they're all kids and there aren't many who could speak for themselves," Carr said at the time. "We had to have something that was broader. We want to find treatments for this and ultimately find a cure."
"We hope for Chad, we're still hanging onto that miracle. He's on an experimental drug and we want to create this now because we want to fund research that can potentially help this now â but ultimately we know this is a long-term goal." And we're going to be a part of it forever."
In the end, there was no chaos. Just family members sitting in a room, reading stories about Chad's life and passing around photos that documented his journey. "He was peaceful. He wasn't in any pain. We got to see him and we were all able to tell him goodbye," Vigo said. "(It was) a tough day, but what's in the future -- I know this foundation will grow and be a testament to Chad, his life, and everyone who is Chad Tough."
He left the earth peacefully and is now running and jumping in heaven. But to Miami, where Tammi grew up. And throughout the sports community, which embraced their family. At U-M, it was throughout the university community, but especially in the athletic department, from the ubiquitous "Pray for Chad Carr" orange wristbands to the football team honoring him for a pregame coin toss last fall and again this year to the Michigan softball team, which adopted Chad and his brothers as part of their team, to the Michigan basketball staff, which partnered with the Ohio State staff to have the Carrs' house decorated with Christmas lights a few weeks ago so the family could give Chad his Christmas in the final days.
CJ Carr and his brother, Tommy, are bound by more than blood. They share the profound grief of losing their younger brother, Chad. That loss reshaped their world, but in each other, they found an unexpected source of strength. Their shared journey through heartache has forged a powerful bond and taught them how to navigate lifeâs challenges with courage and perspective. CJ and Tommy were just 9 and 6 years old, respectively, when their parents sat them down and told them their little brother Chad had been diagnosed with a deadly type of brain tumor called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG).
Their parents, Tammi and Jason Carr, were determined to fight Chadâs disease, but their unwavering resolve was matched with the grim realization that, despite their fervent efforts, Chadâs time with his brothers was likely limited. As Chad battled over the next 14 months, CJ and Tommy found themselves facing an unimaginable reality and spent as much time as they could sharing precious moments with their baby brother. They helplessly watched their parentsâ hearts slowly break and relied on each other for strength and support to get through the darkest of hours. CJ and Tommy will always remember Chadâs infectious enthusiasm and endless determination to be included in his older brothersâ adventures â never taking no for an answer. They smile recalling âBoys Nightâ every Saturday, a ritual etched into their hearts.
The Carr family continues to honor Chadâs legacy by hosting RunTough for ChadTough Defeat DIPG, a 5K and 1M Fun Run that raises money for DIPG research. The annual event is a way to celebrate Chadâs September 26th birthday and to bring awareness during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month for the disease that took his life. The Carr family first established The ChadTough Foundation in 2015 in an effort to raise money for childhood brain cancer research, with an emphasis on DIPG. In 2021, the Carrs united with another family with the same mission and vision, forming the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation.
As grandsons of the legendary Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr, who guided the program from 1995â2007, and the maternal grandson of Tom Curtis, a former All American and College Football Hall of Fame Michigan safety, football is part of CJ and Tommyâs DNA. CJ Carr, a standout quarterback from Saline High School in Michigan, made his mark earlyâpassing for 2,696 yards and 28 touchdowns as a sophomore, followed by 2,685 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior, and closing out his high school career with 2,754 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior. His performance earned him a spot in the 2024 All-American Bowl and recognition as a four-star recruit. Carr enrolled at Notre Dame in 2023 and spent his first season learning behind veteran quarterback Riley Leonard, appearing in one game before taking a redshirt year.
Now a senior and Saline High Schoolâs starting quarterback, Tommy Carr has stepped confidently into the spotlight, following in his older brotherâs footsteps while carving a path thatâs all his own. But Tommyâs talents extend far beyond football. Even as a tween, he showed remarkable curiosity and disciplineâteaching himself woodworking through YouTube videos and transforming that early interest into genuine craftsmanship. When heâs not throwing touchdown passes or building something in the garage, you might find him wielding a different kind of tool: a pair of clippers. Known for giving sharp haircuts to teammates and friends in the Carr family garage, Tommy blends artistry and community in everything he does. Join Tommy and CJ Carr in honoring their brotherâs legacy.
To make a donation to The Chad Tough Foundation, visit chadtough.org.
I-Team: Chad Carr's legacy
Fundraising Totals for ChadTough Foundation
| Fund | Amount Raised (as of Nov. 23) |
|---|---|
| ChadTough Fund at U-M's Mott Children's Hospital | $170,000+ |
| The Chad Tough Foundation (in less than 6 months) | Close to $250,000 |
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