Friends cycle across U.S. to honor son; stop in Columbia to visit Loos family

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia's own Rhyan Loos had some special visitors at Mizzou's season-opener at Faurot Field on Saturday. One couple is making a cross-country trek to honor their son who died from a rare form of bone cancer.

Alec and Cristy Fraser's son Julian, an All-American swimmer and polo player, died of osteosarcoma five years ago.

In order to raise awareness and money for rare cancers and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Pediatric, the hospital that treated Julian, Alec and his friend Jamie Meehan decided to ride their bicycles across the United States. Throughout the trip, Cristy and Jamie's wife Kelly follow them in a car to provide support.

Kelly, a Mizzou alum, told the couple about the Loos family and the experiences they share. Rhyan Loos overcame stage four neuroblastoma and also received treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York. As of 2021, Rhyan has been cancer-free for more than four years.

The two families met for the first time at Mizzou's game against Central Michigan on Saturday. The Frasers said it was amazing to meet a family who went through something similar to them.

"We're so happy that she [Rhyan] is healthy and looking great," Alec said. "We both feel very strongly about the wonderful things that Memorial Sloan-Kettering is doing in the field of childhood cancer."

September is pediatric cancer awareness month. Alec and Cristy encouraged everyone to visit their website teamjf.org to learn more.