Weston Hermann: Driven by the Ice
Weston Hermann has continually been inspired by Jim Valvano, Dick Vitale and hockey – while battling pediatric brain cancer five times.
When Jim Valvano took the stage at the 1993 ESPY Awards show to accept the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, he delivered a speech that continues to inspire today. He left us with a buoyant motto during his own cancer journey: “Don’t Give Up . . . Don’t Ever Give Up!”®. Weston Hermann embodies these words.
Weston, a 17-year-old from Florida, has not had an ‘easy’ childhood as he is currently facing his fifth bout of brain cancer. First diagnosed at 7, Weston had three brain surgeries and spent long periods of time in chemotherapy treatment. His total time in chemotherapy – nearly two and a half years.
Right now, Weston is recovering from his most recent surgery in April and is undergoing monitoring scans to determine the next steps. While not in treatment, he’s doing the things he loves, hanging out with friends and family, playing hockey, and supporting cancer research.
Weston has held hockey as one of his greatest motivators while battling the bouts of cancer. His competitiveness constantly pushes him to do better. After every treatment and surgery, he’s kept hockey at the forefront of his mind.
“Striving for hockey, obviously I need to get through this,” Weston said. “That was my main strive, just focus on hockey and everything will be good. Knowing you have hockey to go back to, and your teammates, and to get back and compete … I mean, I had brain surgery in April. The second I woke up, it was, ‘when can I get back on the ice again?’ So that’s where my focus is.”
The answer to that question from his doctor was six weeks. Weston worked hard and skated just three weeks later.
Unfortunately, this pattern has been repeated several times.
“It’s been, ‘Oh, I’m going to get through this.’ I’ve done it once, and then it happened again. ’Oh, I’m going to get through this.’ It happened twice. And so on. It was more like a competitive aspect of it. Just where my competitiveness comes in. This isn’t going to beat me; I’m going to beat it. I don’t care what it takes. I’m going to beat it, and I’m going to continue doing what I love to do.”
Each spring, Weston attends the V Foundation’s Dick Vitale Gala as part of the All-Courageous Team made up of pediatric cancer thrivers from across the country. This event raises meaningful funds for the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund, and the 20th Annual Gala is set for May 2, 2025. Since its inception, the Gala has honored many pediatric cancer thrivers and their families, while raising nearly $93 million for game-changing research.
Weston is a six-year veteran of the All-Courageous Team. He’s seen the incredible impact that ESPN Hall of Fame Sportscaster Dick Vitale and the V Foundation have had. He knows the importance of pediatric cancer research and looks up to Dick for the work he’s done.
“I honestly can’t even put it in words how really important it is,” Weston said. “Everything that Dickie V’s fought for, he’s fought for it for a reason. There’s just not enough money that goes into research, especially pediatric cancer. Having organizations like these that actually fight is just really important because it doesn’t really happen that often.”
“It’s people like Dickie V, he’s been that role model for me for many years. He’s been there through it all and he’s been really important to me and my family. The motivation, seeing those kids, I think that gives me a reason to keep on going myself.”
Throughout the last couple years, Weston has witnessed the growth of the All-Courageous Team at the Dick Vitale Gala. Each year, Vitale invites new childhood cancer patients and thrivers to be honored at the Gala and celebrates them and the victories within their journeys. Weston has a new perspective being a veteran in the group. He knows what they have been through and knows that no child should ever have to go through that.
“I feel like over the past six years, I’ve kind of started on the younger side and kind of gradually moved on to the older side,” Weston said. “I think it just gives me a new perspective, seeing all the younger kids who are now joining the team and growing up, it almost gives me a perspective like Dickie V. It’s almost like he’s looking on these kids – and you want to help them. I’ve been in their shoes; I’ve been where they are. Seeing these kids, they shouldn’t be going through what they’re going through.”
As Weston looks up to Dick Vitale for the work he is doing, patients recently diagnosed with cancer are looking up to him for being courageous in his battle. Whether he knows it or not, he is a role model to them because of the way he continues to fight cancer.
Weston embodies Jim’s “Don’t Give Up . . . Don’t Ever Give Up!”® spirit. And he’ll find his way back to the ice.
