BIG SPRING, TX — The Eric Stinson Cross Country Invitational will be held this Saturday at Comanche Trail Park in Big Spring. The event was created in 2020 in honor of Big Spring High School Graduate Private First Class Eric Stinson who graduated in 2018. During his time at Big Spring High School, Eric participated in the Steer Cross Country program.
One week after he enlisted as Military Police and began basic training, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Bone Cancer. Eric’s dream was to be in the U.S. Army and a Military Police Soldier. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete his Military Police training due to his terminal illness, and was made an honorary MP.
According to his widow Chesney Stinson, after Eric passed away in 2019, two of the cross country team moms, Dominique Marquez and Melissa Miller, urged for the meet to be renamed. The first time shirts were sold at the event, the profits were donated to St. Jude. Since then, the event has been used as a fundraiser for the Cross Country Team.
Chesney told KBest News that she’s happy that the event is something to memorialize her late husband.
“Each year I think it grows. We’re selling our shirts and this year we have a new banner and everything. We’re really trying to get the point across that this is what the meet is for and this is what we’re trying to do. We hope that the runners will give it their all just like he would do when he was running,” she said.
Good luck to the cross country teams competing tomorrow!
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