Heartland Hero: Nolan Weber inspired community to keep believing

JACKSON, MO (KFVS) - This Heartland Hero made a community believe that anything was possible. His never give up spirit still inspires them today.

From an early age, it was clear Nolan Weber loved sports.

"Soccer means everything," Nolan Weber said.

"His heart, his determination, his will, there was no quit in him," said Dean Weber, Nolan's father.

"You know we would always hear pound for pound, he was one of the best athletes," said Rachelle Weber, Nolan's mother.

The knock on him was too small.

"You know size, he had to battle that his whole life but he never let it get to him," Rachelle Weber said.

But, Nolan believed in himself. He believed he could prove others wrong. His trophies speak to that. He believed in whatever he was up against.

"I think a lot of what made him such a gifted athlete made him such spirit in fighting his cancer," Dean Weber said.

His biggest opponent came when doctors told the Webers that Nolan had brain cancer. Something no one saw coming, but it was the way Nolan approached the news that made his family believe.

"Never once did he let cancer define who he was, what he wanted to do, and what he was going to attempt to do in life," Dean Weber said.

"We joke around because the homebound teachers would have to be dishonest with him about the work because we were trying to make him focus on what he really had to do and we had to dishonest with him because he wanted to do everything all the other kids were doing," Rachelle Weber said.

Nolan fought the terminal cancer diagnosis for almost three years, doubling the life expectancy of what his illness normally comes with, before he passed away.  But before he left, Nolan did something no one in his senior class will ever forget.

He graduated from Jackson High School.

"Right after he got his diploma, the entire student body just stood up and which he deserved," Rachelle Weber said.

"You know Nolan was never satisfied with being able to do something or do it well," Dean Weber said. "He always wanted to do it even better."

Did we mention he graduated in the top 20 percent of his class and doctors told the family in February this moment wasn't likely to happen?

Nolan Weber on that day made Jackson believe. Believe that anything is possible with just a little faith.

"Instead of when you're praying, hoping that God will do something good for you, you believe he will," Nolan Weber said.

Nolan's family is in the process of setting up a foundation in his name called Believing Beyond. Right now, they are in the planning stages but say they can't wait to see it grow.

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