Former BCHS student-athlete loses cancer battle

Whether it was for BCHS or San Bernardino Valley College, Torryn Pinkard gave it his all as he fought for his team on the gridiron.

But this past year, his fight was on a much greater level as he battled cancer.

He lost that battle Friday.

In a heartfelt Facebook post Sunday night, Shannon Tamanaha announced the death of her son.

“It is with a heartbreak no mother should ever have to experience that I share that my precious Torryn went home to be with Jesus on Friday evening,” she wrote. “Torryn spent his final day surrounded by the people who meant the most to him. Those he loved, and those who loved him so deeply. And when the time came, my baby boy took his final breath with his mama right by his side.”

Pinkard was featured in the Review in April of this year. The 2023 BCHS grad said at the time that he didn’t want to be looked upon any differently just because of a diagnosis. And, after receiving the news, his first thought was not about himself.

“Honestly, I just thought about football,” he said. “I had just gotten back out there and just wanted to be able to keep playing.”

In her post, Tamanaha wrote that for more than a year, Torryn endured pain and suffering beyond what words could ever describe.

“Pain that no person, especially someone so young, should ever have to experience. Yet through it all, he never stopped fighting. Not once. His strength, courage, determination, and heart were nothing short of extraordinary.

“And while my heart is shattered, I find comfort in knowing that when Torryn took his final breath here on earth, he walked straight into the loving arms of Jesus. No more pain. No more suffering. No more fighting just to make it through another day. For the first time in so very long, my baby is completely pain-free.”

As noted, Pinkard played football for BCHS and was fulfilling his dream of playing college football by playing for San Bernardino Valley College.

In that April article, SBVC President Dr. Gil Contreras shared what Pinkard’s diagnosis meant to him and the school.

“Torryn hit my heart from the moment I heard about his battle,” he wrote in an email to the Review. “To see him continue to show up for his education and for his teammates, that is the definition of courage. He is an inspiration to every one of us at Valley College.”

When reached Monday, Contreras said, “Even as he faced extraordinary challenges, he continued to show up for his education and his teammates. His courage and determination were an inspiration to me and to our entire Valley College community. His time with us was far too brief, and his passing is a heartbreaking loss for our Wolverine family.”

He added, “On behalf of San Bernardino Valley College, I extend my deepest condolences to Torryn’s family, friends, teammates, coaches, and everyone whose life he touched. We stand together with our football program during this incredibly difficult time.”

SBVC assistant coach Rick Pontious was Torryn’s position coach when he first joined the team, which is around when he received the diagnosis. Since then, he and his wife had become close to the Pinkard family over the past year and a half.

“Torryn is the kind of young man and player that isn’t going to let a diagnosis get in his way or define who he is,” he told the Review in April. “He came out to SBVC to pursue his college football career and that is exactly what he is continuing to do. He shows up despite everything else he is battling; no excuses - no pity - he shows up as a football player and that’s all you would ever know about him if you didn’t already know his story.

“This tells you everything about who he is as a person and as a player, through all his hard work, his determination, dedication, and commitment to keep fighting for it all, he has a story that could inspire anyone.”

Tamanaha concluded her post by saying, “We want everyone to remember Torryn by his friendly smile, that contagious giggle, the friendship you had with him, his passion for football, grit and determination. Forever my baby. Forever my warrior. Forever my hero. We are forever TStrong.”