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November 2023: Nick Strong Foundation Updates

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The 1st annual Nick Gaspar 3×3 Basketball Tournament & Clinic was a huge success!! We raised $14,000 for the Nick Strong Foundation! A huge THANK YOU to our sponsors and participants. More pics to follow. Jordan participated in the 24 hour Shot for Life Gauntlet. He raised $3,000 for brain cancer research at Mass General…

Nicholas T. “Nick” Gaspar

May 19, 2023

Nicholas “Nick” Gaspar, 16-year-old resident of Franklin, MA, passed away peacefully in the presence of his loving family on May 19, 2023. Born in Boston on October 18, 2006, Nick was the beloved son of Timothy and Jennifer (Branco-Caton) Gaspar, best friend and twin brother of Jordan, adoring older brother of Lillian and grandson of Stephen and Kathleen Gaspar of Dartmouth, MA and Jo-Ann Branco and Melvin Caton of Cambridge.

Nick was a straight-A student, an exceptional basketball and lacrosse player, and a passionate fan of anything related to the University of North Carolina. His love of UNC basketball and lacrosse remained unshakable, despite his Dad and brother being avid Duke fans. During summers, Nick enjoyed spending time with his feet in the sand on the beaches of Cape Cod, on the waters of Lake Winnipesaukee where he loved to waterski, wakeboard and go on long boat rides, or at home with his family playing basketball in the driveway with his dad and brother or fetch in the yard with his dog, Pierce.

Nick’s exceptional ability to make people laugh was one of his greatest gifts, and he brought this joy and humor to the lives of everyone he encountered. Nick’s kindness, laughter and positivity persisted throughout his treatment. He remained a true example of dignity and grace, ultimately developing a strong faith in God. Nick’s unwavering determination, hope, courage, strength and never give-up attitude during his two year battle with cancer was an inspiration to those around him.

Our Story

Our son Nicholas was diagnosed with a brain tumor in May of 2021. Nick was 14 years old at the time and finishing up 8th grade. Nick didn’t show the typical symptoms that raise awareness for a brain tumor. He became withdrawn and fatigued. We thought he was possibly depressed. We reached out to his pediatrician and school counselor.

By the end of the week he was off balance and had a tremor in his left hand. That’s when his pediatrician sent us directly to Boston Children’s Hospital…

Sometimes life is hard but that isn’t an excuse to give up.

— Nick Gaspar​