Last year at tournament time, Brookhaven Academy studentsdecided to sell stuffed elephants to benefit St. Jude Children’sHospital in Memphis.

At the same time, Bradley Reece, a sophomore basketball playerat Marshall Academy in Holly Springs, was missing the tournamentbecause he’d just been diagnosed with leukemia.

Upon hearing the news, project sponsor Lindy Gray, her sisterLucy Watts, and some BA students decided to commit Reece to prayerin hopes that his situation would improve.

A year later, students have committed to very specific prayersafter receiving a forwarded e-mail that was written by Reece’saunt. A poster reminding people to pray for Reece was made to go inthe front of the gym and Gray printed the e-mail, which generatednumerous requests for ways to contact the boy to sendencouragement.

The e-mail, forwarded to Gray by Natalie Davis at Copiah-LincolnCommunity College, said Reece’s latest biopsy showed 95 percentcancer in his bone marrow. A marrow transplant is scheduled forFeb. 13, provided he survives the intensive radiation he must takeuntil that point.

“That’s why we’re calling this ‘Miracle on the 13th,'” Gray toldthe crowd at the private Christian school just before the LadyCougars played their game in the District 4AA tournamentFriday.

Ticket takers handed out blue ribbons at the door for studentsand tournament-goers to pin on their clothes as a tribute toReece.

“It’s not Cougar blue, or even Marshall Academy blue,” Wattssaid. “It’s blue for first place, because we are praying thatBradley will win this fight.”

Gray explained to the crowd that the radiation treatments Reeceis undergoing until his surgery are so intensive they could killevery living cell in his body. His family has asked people to be inprayer, specifically that the radiation and chemotherapy will workand that Reece will be strong enough to endure the pain.

And the folks at Brookhaven Academy felt the call to be aspiritual support in a time of need for someone they’ll possiblynever meet.

“We always talk about a Christian education and ministering, andwe thought we should put that into action,” Gray said.

Part of the project is to let Reece and his family know thatthey are loved, prayed for and supported all over the state, Graysaid.

“We just want to let them know that we’re behind them, thatpeople as far south as here are in prayer for Bradley,” shesaid.