Principal at center of Kansas State QB’s fundraiser thanks BYU fans for their support

BYU football fans showed up in a big way for the quarterback of an opposing team this week.

And the recipient of Cougar fans’ — and the quarterback’s — generosity is giving thanks.

“Thank you for walking the walk to truly to love one another and make the world a better place. You have made my world a better place,” said Chris Botts, who was Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson’s high school principal, to BYU fans via social media.

Johnson started a drive online last week to raise funds for Botts, who is undergoing cancer treatments. Johnson asked fans to pledge a donation for every time he scores a touchdown this season, beginning with last Saturday’s game against the BYU Cougars .

Though Johnson didn’t score any touchdowns in LaVell Edwards Stadium, fans in Provo were quick to show their support for the K-State quarterback, donating thousands of dollars to the cause.

Botts, who is the principal at Maize High School in Maize, Kansas, has been diagnosed with Stage 4 large-cell neuroendocrine thymic cancer. He has to travel to Houston every week to take part in a clinical trial.

With the help of BYU fans’ contributions, the fundraiser reached more than double its original donation goal of $20,000.

As of Wednesday, over $50,000 has been raised to cover Botts’ medical and travel expenses. Due to the surprising amount of generous donations, the goal has now been raised to $80,000 as Johnson continues his campaign to raise money for Botts throughout the season.

“It just goes to show that there’s a lot of great people in this world,” Johnson told The Wichita Eagle , “and it’s bigger than football.”

Over 950 BYU fans had donated $40,000, according to Champsraise — the company that is hosting Johnson’s drive.

BYU fans left encouraging notes with their donations, with many donating $38.09 to reflect the score of the game (38-9), as the Deseret News previously reported.

“Cougar Nation is cheering for a speedy recovery for Dr. Botts and grateful to be in the Big 12 with K-State,” reads one note.

“Cougars care,” reads another post. “Lots of prayers to Dr. Botts from the Rocky Mountains of Utah. What a great cause for all of us to come together in such a great endeavor. Great job Avery Johnson.”

Another BYU fan said that he was now an Avery Johnson fan, too, calling him “a class act.”

“Hoping you make it to our next game with K-State, where the football score will matter for a few days but the score of your influence will still matter for lifetimes,” the fan wrote.

In a video posted to Facebook , Botts expressed his gratitude to BYU fans, saying they introduced him to “a whole New kind of love”

Botts, a K-State fan through and through, said his new second-favorite university is now BYU.

“Your fans, holy smokes,” he continued. “You guys are so generous. You define what it means to love unconditionally, truly for someone that you don’t even know.

“… Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for walking the walk to truly to love one another and make the world a better place. You have made my world a better place.”