CHICAGO – One of the best stories in all of sports in 2018 concerns a student at Purdue University and his battle against a terminal illness.

Twenty-year old Tyler Trent of Carmel, Indiana was diagnosed with bone cancer in high school and continues to battle it to this day. His story has become an inspiration for many at Purdue, and the nation learned about him when he attended the Boilermakers’ upset of then No. 2 Ohio State at Ross Ade Stadium.

That included an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Wednesday with anchor Scott Van Pelt, joining as an honorary “co-host” for the evening. Thanks to that broadcast, Trent was able to connect with a famous cancer survivor in Chicago.

Cubs pitcher Jon Lester, who battled and survived a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2006, sent a message of support to Trent on Twitter Thursday morning. He not only praised the student for his courage in the battle against cancer, but also extended an invitation to a Cubs game during the 2019 season.

Naturally Trent, a Cubs fan, accepted, and Lester immediately offered Opening Day as a chance to visit. It’s an invitation that adds another chapter to an inspiring story coming out of Purdue University.P