TUCSON, Arizona — "It's hard to see her struggle like this," said Quali Conley, becoming emotional while referring to his mother, Runisha. "At the end of the day, I'm here for her and my brothers and sisters.
Conley carries the ball for the Wildcats on gameday. He also carries the impact his mother has had on him.
"All the struggles my parents went through for all their kids."
Quali Conley is one of six siblings. Runisha was pregnant with his youngest sister when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The cancer went into remission and Runisha and Quali were able to continue a tradition that she braids his hair the day before home games.
"It's a bonding moment for us," said Runisha Conley. Something that we do together."
If anyone within the football program knows Quali Conley, it's head coach Brent Brennan. They were together at San Jose State.
"He's an incredible young man," said Brennan. "He's a super hard worker. Everybody on the team likes him."
"He's the best young man a father could want," said Ganghes Conley, Quali's father.
The Conley family is now leaning on each other as Runisha is now in her second bout with breast cancer.
"I'm doing okay," said Runisha Conley. "I'm here to support, so whatever I'm doing I have to put it aside and be here for him."
This past Saturday, Arizona played its cancer awareness game in a 31-26 loss to West Virginia. The game took place during breast cancer awareness month.
"It means everything to be here," added Runisha Conley. It's super important for women. To go through this is super hard. To fight, to stay positive, so this is a way for people to be aware to have it checked out, to fight it early."
"Just playing for my Mom is huge now because the cancer has come back," added Quali Conley. "Seeing her pain and suffering, I'm giving it all I got."
