SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Racing teams at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will honor a very special fan today who lost his battle with leukemia early this morning.
Caleb Hammond, 11, died early Monday morning surrounded by his family. His mother Holly Kempf shared the following on Facebook: “Before I was woken up being told he was getting ready to pass, he was smiling at me while I was dreaming. With my hand on his chest, I felt his last breath and a few last heart beats.”
Hammond was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia when he was 9-years-old.
Last month, Hammond and his family decided to stop the painful treatments he had been undergoing at a Des Moines hospital, and he moved back home to Oskaloosa, Iowa.
He received national attention when his final wish went viral: collect enough race stickers to cover his coffin.
In just a few weeks, his family received truckloads of stickers from all over the country, including some from NASCAR and IndyCar drivers.
Hammond has loved racing since he was 2 when he started visiting his uncle at his home near the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa.
Twelve NASCAR race cars will honor Hammond today at IMS during the Xfinity race and Brickyard 400.
Man drivers are sharing their condolences with the Hammond family this morning.
Thoughts and prayers to Caleb's family and friends. Thank you for inspiring us all. #TeamCaleb https://t.co/JMygeABj2o
— Indianapolis Motor Speedway (@IMS) September 10, 2018
The NASCAR Xfinity Series race begins at 10am on NBCSN this morning.
Best of luck to our entire @hrmn8ter team…@TJHproject @CraigRSawyer @HeroesMediagrp @MarkGeistSWP pic.twitter.com/Ik9pTwboEO— Mike Harmon Racing (@hrmn8ter) September 10, 2018
Many in @IMS racing in honor and memory of Caleb Hammond today. #TeamCaleb #RIP pic.twitter.com/baNoH8QvBI
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) September 10, 2018
The Hammond family will be in our hearts and on our minds today when we go racing in Indy! #RIP #TeamCaleb https://t.co/D2UgJxB4rP
— GEICO Racing (@GEICORacing) September 10, 2018
We race on in your memory today. 🏁
Our deepest condolences go out to the friends & family of Caleb Hammond. pic.twitter.com/GS5wR3lEDB
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 10, 2018
Caleb Hammond passed away early this morning. What a courageous young man that inspired an entire industry!
Many #NASCAR teams will be running the #TeamCaleb decal today in his honor at @IMS.
No doubt he would have been thrilled by an entire day of racing at Indianapolis.
RIP pic.twitter.com/xb0suWv5qq
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) September 10, 2018
I was lucky enough to meet Caleb Hammond @oskychanllenge in early August. What the racing community did for & with Caleb the last month was amazing. Thoughts and prayers to his family & friends. #teamcaleb #calebstrong #RIP pic.twitter.com/viYWSbUtiH
— Kasey Kahne (@kaseykahne) September 10, 2018
Such sad news.
They’ll be racing for Caleb today. 🙏#TeamCaleb pic.twitter.com/iE6sSoZP0l
— Chicagoland Speedway (@ChicagolndSpdwy) September 10, 2018
Thoughts and prayers out with #TeamCaleb as we race today https://t.co/W4MzjLz0zz
— Matt Tifft (@matt_tifft) September 10, 2018
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of @CalebStrong07. We’ll be running our #TeamCaleb decals in his honor and memory today. #TeamCaleb pic.twitter.com/m0RrILzElK
— Front Row Motorsports (@Team_FRM) September 10, 2018
— Michael McDowell (@Mc_Driver) September 10, 2018
Caleb Hammond passed away early this morning. Keep the Hammonds in your thoughts and prayers. The #TeamCaleb decal will be ran in Caleb’s honor at @IMS. #Nascar pic.twitter.com/paTJonKG7Z
— SMD Racing (@SMD_racing) September 10, 2018
Today @Mc_Driver & @Team_FRM will run the #TeamCaleb decal on the lower rear window support of his #34 #Ford Fusion in honor of Caleb Hammond who passed away from leukemia early this morning. Rest in peace bud. 😥 #CalebStrong #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/XJikLGAX1J
— SMD Racing (@SMD_racing) September 10, 2018
Today @DavidRagan & @Team_FRM will run the #TeamCaleb decal on the lower rear window support of his #38 #Ford Fusion in honor of Caleb Hammond who passed away from leukemia early this morning. Rest in peace bud. 😥 #CalebStrong #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/3far7pTAwW
— SMD Racing (@SMD_racing) September 10, 2018