via press release – photo via JU web site  

Author’s Note:  Sometimes words fail me . . . and pictures are worth a lot more than a thousand words.  I’ll just add three.  Class.  Class. Class.  To my readers out there, please make sure this one gets spread around as much as possible.

  RUE’S PHOTO GALLERY JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville University women’s lacrosse team has a new member that is easily the smallest, toughest, and most courageous Dolphin. She already has made an inspiring presence with a huge heart. With the women’s and men’s teams, and JU faculty and staff on hand, the Dolphins officially welcomed four-year-old Rue Andeer Tuesday with a Team IMPACT signing ceremony and press conference. “Rue is an adorable girl, and I felt a very strong bond with her the first time I met her,” said the organizer of the ceremony, junior Christina Nagel. “She was very welcoming to our team, and has enjoyed being part of it.”     Team IMPACT matches children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses with local college athletic teams. Rue lives in Ponte Vedra, Fla., with her parents and older brother, Bode. In October 2015, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), and since then has undergone 18 months of treatment and has eight more remaining. Through her fight, she has been courageous and an inspiration to all that have had the fortune of knowing her. “It originated as a Student-Athlete Advisory Council initiative, and I thought it was a great idea to be involved since Coach McCord is supportive of community involvement. Rue was shy today, but a couple of us went to her chemotherapy last week, and her mom said it was the easiest Rue has ever been for it. She has such a tough fight, and we are so lucky to know her,” said Nagel.