GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina University, in partnership with UNC Charlotte and the Maxwell for Life Foundation, will host Run the Ball to raise awareness about mental health needs and suicide prevention.
Volunteer student runners will carry the game-day football from the UNC Charlotte campus to ECU’s Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium during homecoming week, which is October 16-21. The purpose is to raise awareness and funds while honoring the life of ECU alumnus and military veteran Maxwell Tyeryar.
Tyeryar completed his degree in criminal justice at ECU and in August 2021 fulfilled his six-year commitment of military service with the U.S. Army National Guard. He always masked his personal struggle and died in January 2022.
“When we started our charity in 2022, the first goal of our mission was to establish a scholarship endowment in Max’s name to assist active military or veterans attending ECU,” said Max’s father, Wes Tyeryar. “The work of Sigma Pi, Max’s fraternity at ECU, was to create this event and continue to drive our mission forward.”
Run the Ball is sponsored by the Sigma Pi fraternity chapter at ECU and supported by the Division of Student Affairs at both ECU and UNC Charlotte.
“This event is more than just running a football from Charlotte to Greenville,” said Preston Jones, ECU student leader and fraternity member. “It is about raising money for the Maxwell for Life Foundation and carrying out the legacy of our brother Max Tyeryar.”
Proceeds support the Maxwell Ronald Tyeryar Military Scholarship endowment.
Click here to read more
