As the West Orange football team went through the motions at its Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp Monday, AJ Chung remained in the background. The junior quarterback was still involved, acting as player-coach for backup quarterback Jackson Long, but he was out of uniform as he continues to mourn the passing of his mother.
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Kristin Chung, 53, died July 4, after a four-year battle with ovarian cancer. Surviving members of her immediate family are AJ, husband Kai-Wei, 57, and Aaron, 14.
“We are working so hard to get through day by day,” said Kai-Wei Chung, via Facebook message. “She was our shining light and our guiding star and we are just trying to figure this thing out and work things out as a family and we are just so lucky to be surrounded by this awesome village.”
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The village turned out in force for her funeral Sunday at the Woodlawn Memorial Funeral Home in Gotha.
“Sunday was just incredible. Even the pastor who was giving the eulogy said he’s been doing it for 27 years and he had never seen Woodlawn Memorial so packed and overflowing with people,” West Orange football coach Geno Thompson said. “Which speaks to the testament of Kristin and the testament of the Chung family and their impact on the community.
“”It was incredible to see how many lives she has affected in a positive manner. It’s just unthinkable. There are no words. It’s just a terrible situation.”
AJ said Monday that being among his football brothers was the only way he has been able to deal with the loss of his mother. Coach Thompson said AJ told him that’s what mom would have wanted.
“It happened on July Fourth and I talked to him the next day and said, ‘Take as long as you need,’ and he said, ‘I have to be at practice. Mom would not let me miss practice’,” Thompson said. “He was like, ‘I can’t miss. I have to be out here.’ I think this is his escape. This is an opportunity to hush the noise going on in his private life.
“AJ is a private person, so if you ask the kids, a lot of them would probably say he hasn’t really shown anything, as far as it affecting him.”
So there he was Monday during FCA camp, headset on, hollering at guys to line up, calling plays. He, admirably, took a moment to discuss what his mother meant to him.
“Your mom is one of the most important people in your life, especially in my family,” AJ said. “She was the glue and the backbone of our family, so the impact cannot be explained through words. The irreplaceable things, the way she is, the way she acted, the things she did. Nothing can, like, explain, and it’s gonna impact me in tons of ways, but I’m gonna do my best to use what she has taught me to move on and do great things with my life.”
Big things appear to be awaiting AJ on the horizon. He has been the starting quarterback at West Orange since he was a freshman and he is currently ranked No. 5 in the Sentinel’s 2028 Central Florida Super60.
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Thompson said Kristin was the epitome of a “team mom.”
“Oh, 100 percent. She was a huge proponent of volunteering. If I had to pick one word I would say, ‘Selfless,’” Thompson said. “It didn’t matter what was going on, she made sure she was there to help. So even through her battle with cancer, she was volunteering for team meals, volunteering for the concession stand … always involved with the program.
“I can’t imagine any high school kid getting through losing a mom. It’s just unimaginable. He’s coping with it now, but we all know something will happen when it breaks down, but he’s a phenomenal kid.”
The Anderson family, Trevor and Amber Anderson and sons Bryan and Taj, are close friends with the Chungs and leaned on each other during Bryan Anderson’s battle with cancer the past two years. The Andersons have started a foundation, The Better Every Day Foundation, to benefit those people like Kristin and Bryan, who battle the horrible disease.
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Kristin and Kai-Wei met when both were sales representatives for Wilson tennis racquets. They would have been married 23 years in September.
Kai-Wei said Kristin’s battle was long and arduous.
“She had a rare form of the disease which made treatment even harder,” he said.
She endured two rounds of traditional chemotherapy, three rounds of clinical trial therapy, and two more rounds of newly approved therapy.
“She was about to start another newly approved therapy, but the disease progressed so fast that it caused internal bleeds,” Kai-Wei said. “We spent 10 days in the hospital with daily blood transfusions then realizing we couldn’t stop the bleeding we agreed to discontinue and just come home. She passed away the following day on July 4th.”
Kristin never stopped giving, her husband said.
“Her most incredible quality was her courage and always putting others first,” Kai-Wei said. “Even through the constant pain and horrific side effects of therapy, she always maintained a smile and never let on to others how bad it was and never complained. She always put everyone first. During her own ordeal she put together a care package and video instructions to Bryan Anderson when he was going through his cancer battle. This care package laid the groundwork for what is now the Better Every Day Foundation.
“Kristin was the most special person and she gave selflessly every day. Her children were her world, her everything. She made it a point to never miss a single school event, sporting event, birthday, etc., regardless of how bad she felt. She was so proud of them and doted on them with the fiercest of mama’s love.”
She enjoyed life and embraced it.
“One of her most favorite things was that moment when the sun sets low and the skies come alive with hues of pink, red, orange and purples. She called this “her favorite time of the night,” Kai-Wei said. “To her this was a gentle reminder to be grateful and thankful for an amazing day … a nudge to take in and reflect on the wonders of the moment, and never ever take for granted that tomorrow is guaranteed.
“She was so loved and will be missed dearly by so many. She’s the kind of person and the kind of love that comes once in a lifetime.”
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Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.