Kansas State University Athletics
A Dance for a Friend
Oct 02, 2025 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Emmitt Budy is a 15-year-old who resides with his parents, Pat and Rachel, and siblings, in Marysville, Kansas. On the phone, he sounds like an angel. He loves Kansas State. He loves K-State sporting events. He loves K-State student-athletes. And he loves Joe Wilson, an agent for Farm Bureau Financial Services in Manhattan, who is helping his dreams come true. Emmitt sees light when there's darkness. He's been poked and prodded more times than any kid should. He's known the way to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City for almost a year now. He knows the rooms. He knows the beds. He knows the routine. He knows all the nurses. Today, at this very moment, he could be undergoing a chemotherapy session — again.
It's been nearly a year, November 2024, since doctors determined Emmitt had Wilms tumor, which is a type of kidney cancer that primarily affects children. The cause of Wilms tumor is largely unknown, but this much we do know: Emmitt, who had a kidney removed, is a fighter. Yes, he's been a fighter through it all. And he's fighting ever fighting against this cancer, which has spread.
"When I was diagnosed, I was scared," Emmitt says, "but one of the things that's helped me to stay so positive through it all is having Garrett Oakley text and talk with me."
Garrett Oakley is a bruising 6-foot-5, 248-pound All-Big 12 Second Team tight end on the K-State football team. Shortly after Emmitt's cancer diagnosis, Joe Wilson, who knows Oakley through his NIL arrangement, asked Oakley to record a short video to tell Emmitt that he was thinking about him. Then Oakley called Emmitt on the phone, and they talked for a while. The phone calls became a weekly thing. This progressed to the evening of April 22 as Emmitt and his family attended the K-State/Wichita State baseball game at Tointon Family Stadium.
Wilson told Emmitt that Oakley would be unable to attend the baseball game due to football workouts.
"Dang it," Emmitt said, "I want to meet Garrett."
Moments later, Oakley surprised Emmitt at the baseball game. Oakley brought Emmitt a football signed by Avery Johnson, Dylan Edwards and himself, and a pair of game-worn gloves. Oakley and Emmitt sat together at the game. They were inseparable.
"It was the time of my life," Emmitt says.
Rachel remembers the evening well.
"The baseball game, Emmitt and his siblings got a day away from what has become our normal," Rachel says. "Garrett is one of the best. He's very kind, very willing to do anything. We appreciate all that he's done for Emmitt."
Wilson says it was "an emotional day."
"Garrett and Emmitt did the Wabash, they sat together the whole game, and Garrett said, 'Text me anytime you want,'" Wilson says. "The relationship has just grown from there."
Oakley stands inside the K-State football team theater room inside the Vanier Family Football Complex on Monday afternoon. He thinks that he's been called into the room for interviews — to discuss the recent 34-20 win over UCF and this Saturday's game at Baylor in Waco, Texas. Instead, an inquirer gently says, "Tell me about Emmitt." Oakley pauses and swallows hard, a thousand thoughts running through his head — a ballgame with Emmitt, the phone calls and texts — and he finally begins to talk.
"It brings joy to my life to see Emmitt smile," he says. "He's a really, really great guy and has a great family. His situation isn't fun, but he's a super-strong kid."
There are small celebrations along this rollercoaster. Emmitt laughs over the phone — a carefree laugh that cancer cannot take away. At the moment, Emmitt is recalling the celebration of all celebrations, when Oakley caught a shovel pass from Johnson and stepped into the end zone for a touchdown against UCF. Afterward, Oakley did a celebration dance — the "Carlton Dance" made famous by Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The comedic dance features humorously exaggerated movements.
Emmitt, who was unable to attend the football game due to sickness from the chemotherapy, watched Oakley's dance during the game on TV.
"I told Garrett to do a touchdown dance," Emmitt says. "The Carlton Dance was just what I thought of."
Oakley recalls the play and the dance.
"When the play came in, I knew I had an opportunity to score," Oakley says. "I smiled pre-snap. Once I got into the end zone, I just started dancing. I had a good time. I was happy to do that for Emmitt."
After Oakley's dance, Emmitt text him: "I loved the dance. Did not expect that."
The dance remains a big hit among the Budy family.
"I think I'd have to say the dance gets an 8 or 9 out of 10," Emmitt says.
"The fact that he even did it, he gets 10 stars," Rachel says. "We didn't expect that. It was kind of a joke. We didn't really think that he would do it."
But Oakley did it to honor his friend. And he only wishes that he would've practiced the dance moves a few more times before breaking them out in front of 53,013 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
"Emmitt sent me a YouTube video of the dance," Oakley says, smiling, "and I should've practiced it a couple more times."
But it certainly brought a smile to Emmitt and his family.
And that was Oakley's goal all along.
"I just admire how tough Emmitt is and how humble he is," Oakley says. "He's a big brother to his younger siblings. When he first got diagnosed, he said, 'I'm just glad this happened to me and not one of my younger brothers.' He carries a maturity level with how he shows up each day and attacks the process. Whether it's going to Kansas City a couple times a week or staying in Kansas City a couple weeks at a time, just seeing his strength has really opened my eyes. I just want to help he and his family out as much as I can."
Emmitt beams in describing this friendship with Oakley that is nearly a year long.
"The thing I like most about Garrett is he's really kind and super nice," Emmitt says. "He's also a pretty cool guy and he's energetic. He's just fun to be around."
Oakley is grateful.
"I'm just fortunate enough that Emmitt got placed into my life and that Joe Wilson introduced me to Emmitt," Oakley says. "For me brighten his day and brighten my day by giving him a little light in his world, it just brings me such joy.
"I know he's going to attack this cancer."
Emmitt Budy is a 15-year-old who resides with his parents, Pat and Rachel, and siblings, in Marysville, Kansas. On the phone, he sounds like an angel. He loves Kansas State. He loves K-State sporting events. He loves K-State student-athletes. And he loves Joe Wilson, an agent for Farm Bureau Financial Services in Manhattan, who is helping his dreams come true. Emmitt sees light when there's darkness. He's been poked and prodded more times than any kid should. He's known the way to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City for almost a year now. He knows the rooms. He knows the beds. He knows the routine. He knows all the nurses. Today, at this very moment, he could be undergoing a chemotherapy session — again.
It's been nearly a year, November 2024, since doctors determined Emmitt had Wilms tumor, which is a type of kidney cancer that primarily affects children. The cause of Wilms tumor is largely unknown, but this much we do know: Emmitt, who had a kidney removed, is a fighter. Yes, he's been a fighter through it all. And he's fighting ever fighting against this cancer, which has spread.
"When I was diagnosed, I was scared," Emmitt says, "but one of the things that's helped me to stay so positive through it all is having Garrett Oakley text and talk with me."
Garrett Oakley is a bruising 6-foot-5, 248-pound All-Big 12 Second Team tight end on the K-State football team. Shortly after Emmitt's cancer diagnosis, Joe Wilson, who knows Oakley through his NIL arrangement, asked Oakley to record a short video to tell Emmitt that he was thinking about him. Then Oakley called Emmitt on the phone, and they talked for a while. The phone calls became a weekly thing. This progressed to the evening of April 22 as Emmitt and his family attended the K-State/Wichita State baseball game at Tointon Family Stadium.
Wilson told Emmitt that Oakley would be unable to attend the baseball game due to football workouts.
"Dang it," Emmitt said, "I want to meet Garrett."
Moments later, Oakley surprised Emmitt at the baseball game. Oakley brought Emmitt a football signed by Avery Johnson, Dylan Edwards and himself, and a pair of game-worn gloves. Oakley and Emmitt sat together at the game. They were inseparable.
"It was the time of my life," Emmitt says.
Rachel remembers the evening well.
"The baseball game, Emmitt and his siblings got a day away from what has become our normal," Rachel says. "Garrett is one of the best. He's very kind, very willing to do anything. We appreciate all that he's done for Emmitt."
Wilson says it was "an emotional day."
"Garrett and Emmitt did the Wabash, they sat together the whole game, and Garrett said, 'Text me anytime you want,'" Wilson says. "The relationship has just grown from there."
Oakley stands inside the K-State football team theater room inside the Vanier Family Football Complex on Monday afternoon. He thinks that he's been called into the room for interviews — to discuss the recent 34-20 win over UCF and this Saturday's game at Baylor in Waco, Texas. Instead, an inquirer gently says, "Tell me about Emmitt." Oakley pauses and swallows hard, a thousand thoughts running through his head — a ballgame with Emmitt, the phone calls and texts — and he finally begins to talk.
"It brings joy to my life to see Emmitt smile," he says. "He's a really, really great guy and has a great family. His situation isn't fun, but he's a super-strong kid."
There are small celebrations along this rollercoaster. Emmitt laughs over the phone — a carefree laugh that cancer cannot take away. At the moment, Emmitt is recalling the celebration of all celebrations, when Oakley caught a shovel pass from Johnson and stepped into the end zone for a touchdown against UCF. Afterward, Oakley did a celebration dance — the "Carlton Dance" made famous by Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The comedic dance features humorously exaggerated movements.
Emmitt, who was unable to attend the football game due to sickness from the chemotherapy, watched Oakley's dance during the game on TV.
"I told Garrett to do a touchdown dance," Emmitt says. "The Carlton Dance was just what I thought of."
Oakley recalls the play and the dance.
"When the play came in, I knew I had an opportunity to score," Oakley says. "I smiled pre-snap. Once I got into the end zone, I just started dancing. I had a good time. I was happy to do that for Emmitt."
After Oakley's dance, Emmitt text him: "I loved the dance. Did not expect that."
The dance remains a big hit among the Budy family.
"I think I'd have to say the dance gets an 8 or 9 out of 10," Emmitt says.
"The fact that he even did it, he gets 10 stars," Rachel says. "We didn't expect that. It was kind of a joke. We didn't really think that he would do it."
But Oakley did it to honor his friend. And he only wishes that he would've practiced the dance moves a few more times before breaking them out in front of 53,013 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
"Emmitt sent me a YouTube video of the dance," Oakley says, smiling, "and I should've practiced it a couple more times."
But it certainly brought a smile to Emmitt and his family.
And that was Oakley's goal all along.
"I just admire how tough Emmitt is and how humble he is," Oakley says. "He's a big brother to his younger siblings. When he first got diagnosed, he said, 'I'm just glad this happened to me and not one of my younger brothers.' He carries a maturity level with how he shows up each day and attacks the process. Whether it's going to Kansas City a couple times a week or staying in Kansas City a couple weeks at a time, just seeing his strength has really opened my eyes. I just want to help he and his family out as much as I can."
Emmitt beams in describing this friendship with Oakley that is nearly a year long.
"The thing I like most about Garrett is he's really kind and super nice," Emmitt says. "He's also a pretty cool guy and he's energetic. He's just fun to be around."
Oakley is grateful.
"I'm just fortunate enough that Emmitt got placed into my life and that Joe Wilson introduced me to Emmitt," Oakley says. "For me brighten his day and brighten my day by giving him a little light in his world, it just brings me such joy.
"I know he's going to attack this cancer."
Players Mentioned
K-State Men's Basketball | Tang Talkin' Transfers - Elias Rapieque
Thursday, October 02
K-State Football | Game 5 ⚒️ UCF Victory Highlight
Wednesday, October 01
K-State Men's Basketball | Tang Talkin' Transfers - PJ Haggerty
Monday, September 29
K-State Football | Chris Klieman Press Conference - Sept. 29, 2025
Monday, September 29