‘His legacy will last forever’: High school student-athlete dies after battling bone cancer
LEBANON, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) – A Tennessee community is mourning the loss of a Wilson County School District student-athlete who died of cancer this week.
Jayden Bailey, a Lebanon High School student, was first diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, when he was in middle school.
A school district spokesperson said Bailey died Thursday and said his inspiring legacy will always be remembered, calling him “a hero, in every sense of the word.”
Lebanon High School student Jayden Bailey reportedly battled bone cancer for years.(Wilson County Schools)
“He will always live in our hearts, for the impact he made and the standards of character he set,” the school district shared. “He was such a fierce fighter. He poured love and support for everyone he encountered. He indeed made this world a better place.”
School leaders shared their sympathies with the teen’s friends and family.
“We send our most sincere condolences to the family, friends and the entire Lebanon High School community,” the district said in a statement. “He captured and captivated the hearts of so many both locally and nationally while he battled his cancer diagnosis throughout the past several years.”
WCS spokesperson Bart Barker shared a video last year, saying Bailey was an inspiring basketball player who had “an infectious smile, a huge personality and manners that would make his mom proud.”
Bailey’s love for sports was also celebrated by his loved ones and school leaders as they remembered him.
“One of his biggest joys was basketball. He remained an inspirational team member for the LHS Blue Devils till the very end; his legacy will last forever,” the school district said. “The community rallied around him and cheered him every day.”
Just a few days ago, the mayor of Lebanon declared Feb. 17 as Jayden Bailey Day to honor the student. The police department and local officials wore yellow ribbons to honor the teen and to “serve as a symbol of unity, hope, and support.”
Copyright 2026 WSMV via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
