Big Hair, Big Heart, Bigger Hopes

While UT student Grant Walther was attending the Longhorns football game on Saturday, October 19 (along with 105,214 other enthusiastic fans, a record-setting attendance!), he became a meme.
 
The Longhorns were being handed a dismal defeat from the University of Georgia Bulldogs, and disappointment was written all over Grant’s face, topped by his impressive head of hair. His viral image was quickly picked up by numerous media outlets, including People magazine.
 
The 20-year-old sophomore has met the unexpected attention with class, dignity and humor, branding himself "Angry Texas Fan" on social media. Now Grant wants to turn attention toward a more important issue: cancer research.
 
It's a cause that is very personal to Grant and his family. Grant’s great-grandfather has been diagnosed with bladder cancer. Grant’s maternal grandmother recently beat breast cancer, but the fight continues for many others: the American Cancer Society estimates that more than 300,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone, making it the country’s most diagnosed form of the disease.

With your gift to support breast cancer research at UT, you can help Grant change a hair-raising experience into a heartwarming one.

Longhorn Proud

Since selecting UT for his college and making the move from Palos Verdes, California, Grant has fully embraced his Texas-style Longhorn life. He is a government major in the College of Liberal Arts, and a member of the Texas Pre-Law Honor Society and the Jefferson Scholars Program. He also supports Texas Athletics with his whole heart and loves to cheer on his favorite teams in person, win or lose.
 
With ambitions to attend law school after graduation, Grant knows the importance of focusing on academics. But he also knows he has been presented with a chance to change the world. Grant sees his internet infamy as an opportunity and hopes this fundraiser will catch people’s attention as quickly as the meme about his now-famous hair.
 

“People tell me I’m very lucky that this happened to me, but I’ve faced a lot of negative comments on the internet,” says Grant. “I’d like to focus on hope and turn this experience into something positive and beautiful. The strongest people I know are my family members who have gone through rounds of chemotherapy and surgery. This fundraiser will benefit people who have been directly affected by the disease, raising awareness and money for research.”

Bigger than Himself

One moment at a football game has changed Grant’s life temporarily, but your gift can make a lasting impact on cancer patients across Central Texas. At The University of Texas at Austin’s Dell Medical School, cancer patients receive personalized world-class treatment, and researchers like Dr. William Matsui are committed to the pursuit of a cancer-free future.
 
Everything’s bigger in Texas, especially the hearts of people who support worthy causes. You can make Grant’s biggest wish come true. Please support Grant’s fundraising efforts, stay tuned for updates and further announcements from Grant, and make your world-changing gift today.