TCU loses its biggest fan, 7-year-old Micah Ahern

FORT WORTH, Texas — A 7-year-old Texas boy who was a beloved part of the TCU baseball team's three consecutive trips to the College World Series has died following a battle with cancer.

Micah Ahern had undergone more than 10 operations since 2010 after being diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that attacks small children.

TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle posted in a tweet that the Horned Frogs had lost a teammate with Micah's passing Thursday. The coach also wrote, "Heaven gained, not just an Angel, but a Warrior!"

TCU players considered Micah a hero and friend since he was first introduced to the team in 2013 through Team IMPACT, an organization that matches children suffering from chronic or life-threatening illnesses with college teams. They Horned Frogs wore a logo for Micah, a letter "M" inside a Superman-style shield, on their caps and T-shirts.

"Wish I wasn't posting this but trying to rest in the truth that Micah isn't suffering anymore," his father, Maurice Ahern , wrote on Facebook and Twitter. "Micah is no longer suffering. He is healed and whole. I praise God for that. Now we all are left here to mourn the loss of The Great Superhero."

The boy from nearby Arlington had his own locker in TCU's locker room, and two years ago signed a national letter of intent with the Frogs.

In early June, his family said Micah's cancer had progressed and that he would no longer be doing certain treatments.

Micah and his family got to attend TCU's 6-1 win over Coastal Carolina at the College World Series last month. When the Frogs returned home after being eliminated from Omaha, they went to visit Micah even before going back to campus.

"He's the toughest 7-year-old I've ever seen," TCU catcher Evan Skoug said last month. "They say that God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. And we've seen that's true with Micah."