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Former basketball coach dies after battle with cancer
Special to the Vindicator
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Cody Betts of Howland, diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2008, is in California after receiving medical care. He is shown here with his wife, Jennifer, and their two children, Kylie, 4, and Cooper, 2.
Arrangements for Cody Betts, 37, are being handled by Baumgardner Funeral Home, 8569 Main St., Kinsman.
Calling hours: Noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Services: 11 a.m. Friday at the Rock of Grace Church in Vernon Township.
Donations: They can be made to The Cody Betts Fund, c/o Huntington Bank, P.O. Box 319, Kinsman, Ohio 44428
Source: Baumgardner Funeral Home
HOWLAND
Cody Betts, 37, died Monday morning at his Howland home after a three-year battle with brain cancer.
Betts, a former basketball coach for Lakeview and Badger high schools, was diagnosed in 2008.
He made headlines in recent weeks after family, friends and the community rallied together to raise money to fly him home from California, where he was receiving experimental chemotherapy treatments at a hospital near Los Angeles called City of Hope.
The intense and painful treatments, which the family opted to discontinue, left Betts unable to sit or walk, and he required a special medical flight to get back to Ohio.
Medical flights can cost as much as $25,000, so his family turned to the community for help.
A generous outpouring of financial assistance enabled Cody’s family to pay for a medical flight that brought him home Feb. 9.
After arriving home, he was admitted to Forum Health Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in Howland and then moved to the Cleveland Clinic.
He left the clinic Friday to spend his last days at his home with loved ones.
Numerous benefit dinners have helped raise money for Cody and his family, and fundraising events continue this week.
The Kinsman Police Department is hosting a benefit hot dog and chili dinner from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, and a benefit dinner is scheduled for 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Divieste’s Banquet Hall in Warren.
One thousand tickets were available for the Saturday fundraiser, and Joni Woofter of Kinsman said 600 tickets remain.
Tickets cost $20 each. Anyone wishing to purchase tickets can call Tim Woofter at 330-240-3073 or 330-772-2421.
A Facebook page titled The Cody Betts Fund offers more details about these events.
Cody’s wife, Jennifer, posted this message on the Facebook page about a week ago: “I want to thank everyone for their support through this difficult time. Whether it was through a monetary donation, a card, a prayer, an offer to do something or just giving me a simple laugh ... I have felt the love from all those who care about our family. I cannot express my thanks like I want to! There aren’t enough words.”
Besides his wife of nine years, Cody leaves a daughter, Kylie, 4; a son, Cooper, 2; his parents, Tom and Sherry Betts of Kinsman; a twin sister, Carrie Betts, also of Kinsman; and a brother, Josh Betts of Columbus.