BIOGRAPHY

Hi, my name is Connor Wilson, I'm a freshman at the University of Illinois studying physics. I was raised in St. Joseph Il, a small town less than ten miles outside of Champaign Urbana. I would describe myself as a quiet, laid-back, mostly introverted person. I played football in high school (3A), where as a 5' 8" 160lb nose guard, I routinely faced off against a center and guard who each weighed at least seventy pounds more than me. But I enjoyed the challenge! I tore my ACL the second to last game of my senior year. Now I look to cycling as a low-impact way to remain in shape!

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Almost everyone has a personal experience to share about how cancer has affected their lives. Unfortunately, I am no different. More than five years ago I lost my mom to breast cancer. It's hard to describe the impact of losing a parent on a twelve year old. The closest I can come is that when I graduated middle school, she wasn't there. When I graduated high school, she wasn't there. When I graduate college or get married, she won't be there. I ride not only for her, but for all the other parents, siblings, and children who have been diagnosed, so that hopefully they can survive to be there for the momentous occasions of their loved ones.