Irvine football program raising money for cancer research in honor of former Vaquero Austin Hwang

Austin Hwang (No. 41) was a popular member of the Vaqs football team.

Irvine High football coach Erik Terry is leading a fund-raising effort for cancer research in the memory of former Vaquero Austin Hwang, a talented player who died at the age of 19 in April 2017 of lung cancer.

Friends of Hwang and supporters of the program are being asked to donate money for each touchdown that Irvine scores through the end of the month.

“Austin was our Teammates for Life award winner his senior year because of his selfless attitude and commitment to his teammates,” Terry said.

“He would do anything for anyone in our program and we participate in the Touchdowns Against Cancer campaign to honor him and all he stood for.”

Hwang played for Irvine’s football team in 2014 and 2015 and graduated from Irvine in 2016. Terry and many of the Irvine football players visited Hwang, who went into hospice care before his death.

In the fund-raising effort, Maxpreps and St. Jude’s are partnering up through an online fund-raising platform called PledgeIt, Terry said.

“The campaign extends for the entire month of September which is four games for us,” Terry said. “Donors can pledge an amount per touchdown or a one time donation.”

Those wishing to donate should go to PledgeIt and find the Irvine Touchdowns Against Cancer 2018 link. Maxpreps also has information at the top of its website.

Funds raised will benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, according to the website.