Purple, Prayer, and Purpose: A Night for Michael Crawford
By: Carrie Miner Yaple | SportzWire | January 25, 2026 | Photo courtesy Carrie Miner Yaple
Sports have a way of stirring emotions simply because of the competition—the roar of the crowd, the tension of momentum swings, the joy of a comeback. But last night inside the Northwest gym, the emotions ran deeper than a scoreboard.
Before a single basket was scored in the Benton at Northwest girls basketball game, the night had already found its purpose.
Students, parents, athletes, and community members filled the stands wearing purple “Support Squad†#TEAMCRAWFORD T-shirts, united around one name: Michael Crawford—a Wilkes-Barre Firefighter/EMT of 25½ years who is now fighting against stage 4 esophageal cancer.
Michael, or “Mike†as so many know him, dedicated more than two decades to protecting others. Throughout his career with the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department, he served in many roles, answering countless calls without hesitation. On July 21, 2025, that career came to an abrupt close when he learned the diagnosis that no firefighter ever expects—an occupational cancer linked to years of exposure to contaminants breathed in while doing the job.
Mike has since endured ongoing treatments, procedures, and hospitalizations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centers in New Jersey and New York City. While chemotherapy has slowed the spread of the cancer and reduced some affected lymph nodes, the tumor itself remains unchanged and inoperable. Still, Mike continues to fight—with grit, humor, and heart.
To keep his spirits high, he started wearing the loudest Hawaiian shirts he could find. Soon, one shirt turned into many. Friends and family began sending more, until there were enough to carry him through months of treatments—a colorful reminder that he is not fighting alone.
At Mike’s request, his wife Jessica—also a Wilkes-Barre Firefighter/EMT—has documented their journey on Facebook, opening a window into their lives and allowing the community to rally around them. That community includes their 12 children, ranging in age from 24 to 7: Hayden, Cassidy, Dashawnna, Kaelyn, Tucker, Cooper, Hartley, Harper, Jemma, Tessa, Jasper, and Ruby—twelve reasons Mike keeps pushing forward every single day.
Jessica shared a perspective that resonated deeply:
“For his whole career, I would always worry when I would hear they had a working fire or a serious incident. It never crossed my mind that the entire time he was doing this job the danger was going to be something like cancer.â€
Esophageal cancer is often not detected until symptoms such as coughing or difficulty swallowing appear, and by then it is typically late stage. Her hope—and the hope echoed by many—is that firefighters take advantage of every cancer screening opportunity available, catching potential cancers early.
January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, and the numbers are staggering. In 2025, nearly 80% of International Association of Fire Fighters member line-of-duty deaths were due to occupational cancer. Nights like this one matter. Awareness matters. Michael Crawford matters.
And then—there was basketball.
Northwest struggled to find its footing early. Benton came out aggressive on both ends of the floor, jumping to a 17–7 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Rangers appeared rattled, their offense flat and rhythm elusive.
Head coach Jaxson Yaple used multiple timeouts in the first half, working to calm his team and remind them that there was still an entire second half to be played. Benton slowed slightly in the second quarter, and Northwest began to chip away from beyond the arc, knocking down four three-pointers. At halftime, Benton led 29–23.
The third quarter was evenly matched, with both teams scoring nine points. Benton maintained its lead at 38–32, but the momentum was quietly shifting.
Then came the fourth quarter—and with it, the heart of the Northwest Lady Rangers.
After being outscored early, Northwest erupted, pouring in 24 points in the final quarter alone. Benton, which had dominated the opening minutes of the game, was held to just seven points in the final frame. The Rangers outscored the Tigers by 17 in the fourth, fueled by confidence, composure, and a relentless belief.
Northwest finished the night red-hot from long range, draining 10 three-pointers, and sealed a powerful comeback victory.
Final Score:
Northwest 56, Benton 45
Scoring Leaders
Benton: Bree Hess led with 15 points, followed by Elaina Lockard with 12. Kayana Kroll and Malaia Hart each added 7.
Northwest: Ashlyn Hermanofski poured in 23 points, while Ava Ruckle and Natalia Ninotti each finished with 10. Ali Miner added 9, and Arheya Williams chipped in 4.
In the end, the win mattered—but it wasn’t the only thing that did.
Last night was about showing up. About standing together. About honoring a man who spent his life protecting others and now needs that same support returned to him. The jerseys, the cheers, the purple ribbons, and the shared silence between plays all spoke the same truth:
This was more than a game.
This was for Michael Crawford.
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