The Life of Michigan State Princess Lacey Holsworth

You would have to have a hole in your heart not to get choked up by the loss of 8 year-old Spartan fan Lacey Holsworth of St. Johns. The family posted this message on Insragram around 3 am  “Princess Lacey has achieved the ultimate victory. She now dances among angels.... The world is a better place because you were in it. Our hearts are broken. We love you Doll. Dance all night... Mommy and Daddy, Will, Mitchell and Luke #LoveLikeLacey”

She lost her battle with cancer but won the battle for hearts everywhere. The story has ended but the legend is just beginning. The outpouring of emotion has been remarkable. Not just on social media but broadcasters and basketball diehards. Even if you can"t stand Dick Vitale, you have to be moved by his donation of $250,000 he'll donate. To learn more about that, click here. ESPN announcer Jay Bilas said "RIP Lacey Holsworth. A beautiful soul, whose strength and courage touched and inspired us all. Heartbreaking."

An Okemos High graduate and MSU fan named Jeff Martin recently started an online fund raiser to help Lacey’s family with medical bills at https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/vp44/-kissitcancer. It has now raised more than $70,000.

Over 400 MSU students plan on "painting the rock" in honor of Lacey tonight. Click here to learn more.

The story warmed the hearts of people everywhere. This relationship that developed between the two after the MSU basketball team visited Sparrow Hospital over 2 years ago. Here is the Big Ten Networks "The Journey" feature on Lacey and Adreian Payne.

There will be a memorial service at the Breslin Center April 17th. Click here for that info. There is so much to take from this story, one of the biggest for me is having my faith in humans restored. Everyone did the right thing and Adreian Payne deserves some credit for seeing an opportunity to make the final days of a little girls life so special.

Lacey got to really life towards the end of hers. I am so proud of the MSU basketball team and university for allowing her to experience senior night with Adreian Payne. She got to help cut down the nets in Indy when the Spartans won the Big Ten Tournament. Just a week ago she got to see Adreian Payne compete in the slam dunk contest.

Some great memories were made but the human spirit was the real victor here. Fighting until the end, LIVING until the end. Though her life was short, she fought like a Spartan and touched us all. Thank you, Lacey for reminding us to live.