FOXBOROUGH, MASS. (WHDH) - New England Patriots fans came together to help send a Marine home to his family as he battled cancer. Now, his legacy is inspiring the team to win Super Bowl LIII.

Tyrone Carter, known by his friends as the “biggest Patriots fan you’ll have ever met,” was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer.

The 31-year-old’s condition quickly deteriorated as he lived in Arizona.

“He said things had gotten worse and he just needed to get home to be with his family,” Carter’s friend and fellow Marine Jeremy Priessman said.

However, his family lived in Virginia and he could not afford the trip.

Priessman started a GoFundMe account for Carter in hopes of getting him home quickly.

He shared the link with a Patriots fan group online and they stepped up in a major way.

“I would say they raised about 80 percent of the funds it took to get him home,” Priessman said.

Carter flew back home in December, which Priessman says “was lucky because it was the last day he was healthy enough to fly.”

Patriots owner Robert Kraft caught wind of Carter’s story and sent him a video message.

“I’m told you’ve been a terrific fan and that’s the backbone of what our success is, having people like you, and it means a lot to us and you are a true Patriot. Thank you,” he said in the video.

Carter passed away on New Year’s Day.

His legacy is adding to the motivation for the Patriots to win the Super Bowl.

The hashtag #OneMoreForTyrone has been catching on social media.

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