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An undated photo of Samantha Corey, who died in January 2024 of soft tissue cancer.

Courtesy Kimberly Corey

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This photo shows Samantha Corey, center, and her family at a Boston Celtics basketball game in December 2023.

Courtesy Kimberly Corey

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An undated photo showing Samantha Corey, center, with members of the American Fork High School football team.

Courtesy Kimberly Corey

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An undated photo of Samantha Corey, who died in January 2024 of soft tissue cancer.

Courtesy Kimberly Corey

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This undated photo shows Samantha Corey, third from left, with members of the American Fork High School drill team.

Courtesy Kimberly Corey

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This photo shows Samantha Corey, center, with a group of Ford Bronco enthusiasts during a Bronco parade in her honor in November 2023.

Courtesy Kimberly Corey

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Samantha Corey loved the Boston Celtics professional basketball team. Just before Christmas in 2023, she had the chance to attend one of their home games and even met her favorite player, Jaylen Brown, who gifted her a golden basketball.

A dream come true for a life that would soon be cut short.

Corey was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma when she was a sophomore at American Fork High School. Her mother, Kimberly, says their family remained hopeful chemotherapy and treatment would work, but she relapsed last May and again this past November.

Kimberly Corey says her daughter was a fighter and wanted to continue with treatment even though it was clear, with the cancer becoming terminal, Samantha wouldn’t have much time left.

“She had the option every time it relapsed to just stop treatment and enjoy life,” Kimberly Corey told the Daily Herald. “And she always wanted to keep fighting. So every time it came back, she chose to just do more treatments, and she was miserable for most of that whole period.”

Kimberly said the goal was for Samantha to survive long enough to make it to her graduation, but the 17-year-old passed away in January less than six months shy of walking across the stage with her graduating class.

Samantha remained committed to her education and earned her diploma despite battling the affliction. The plan has been to have her siblings walk in her honor at graduation May 22. Initially, the district’s policy guidelines, which prohibit recognizing deceased students during the ceremony, wouldn’t allow Samantha’s family to walk for her. However, Wednesday afternoon, the district reversed its decision, allowing the late student to be included in the graduation.

Kimberly Corey shared the news in a social media post thanking those who have rallied around their family amid the sickness and heartbreak. “Thank you for all of you who have supported us not just this week, but for Samantha’s entire High School experience. We feel incredibly blessed to have such wonderful family, friends, and community,” she said on Instagram.

Alpine School District Director of Communications Rich Stowell said Wednesday morning that the district’s leadership team reviewed policy guidelines and approved an exception in Samantha’s case.

A statement provided to the Daily Herald says:

“Samantha was loved by her classmates, teachers, and school staff. She will be recognized at the school’s graduation ceremony Wednesday, May 22 at the Marriott Center in Provo.”

American Fork city leaders also are showering the Corey family with their support.

Mayor Brad Frost has offered a gesture of community solidarity with plans to pay tribute to Samantha during an upcoming City Council meeting, which the Corey family, friends and those rallying around the deceased student can attend.

Kimberly Corey said she wants her daughter — who would’ve turned 18 in June — to be remembered as a beacon of light and as someone who exuded positivity even amid her own battles. Samantha, she said, was “an example of how I wish I could be going through any trial. I wish I had her positivity and outlook on life going through anything; I wish I could be like that. She was so sweet.”