The #428WallSitChallenge is a fantastic way to commemorate Alex Wilcox’s perseverance

I’m generally not a profound writer, but you don’t have to be a wise wordsmith to state how difficult it is to do a wall sit for four and a half minutes.

Also, it isn’t unreasonable to think that someone who is battling cancer and is able to do said task following a chemotherapy treatment had to be able to persevere through all sorts of intense discomfort and pain.

That’s exactly what Alex Wilcox did and that’s what makes the #428WallSitChallenge such an appropriate way to commemorate her perseverance.

The challenge is incredibly tough and can be pretty painful (at least to some of us). I wasn’t able to go a full, continuous 4 minutes and 28 seconds and I’m in relatively good health and pretty good shape for a probably sleep-deprived new father.

I set my legs at a 90 degree angle while placing my back against a wall near my son’s diaper changing station in my bedroom and ended up landing on my butt a total of three times before three minutes passed on my timer. I continued on until the timer started screaming at me, but it’s not like I was able to actually complete this challenge.

My phone is dumb and doesn’t have enough memory for a video (I tried to use my computer to record a video, we'll see if that panned out well) but here’s some before and after photos of me trying this next to my son’s diaper changing station#428WallSitChallenge pic.twitter.com/gBfMOo4wfk

— Ethan Lee (@leeethanj) April 28, 2020

Now, hours after attempting the social media challenge, my legs are still unhappy with me. Walking my dog up and down flights of stairs from my apartment wasn’t exactly an enjoyable experience after this.

My attempt at the #428WallSitChallenge was not great and it helped show me just how impressive it is that Wilcox was able to do such a feat.

Wilcox completed a wall sit for four-and-a-half minutes after a chemotherapy treatment while battling ovarian cancer. Much has been said about her strength, and that should be a huge part of her legacy that we as Mississippi State fans acknowledge.

pic.twitter.com/V4p06ev2RZ

— Keilani Ricketts Tumanuvao (@laniricketts10) April 28, 2020

This challenge also served as a reminder of just how determined Wilcox must have been to continue on as a student-athlete in the Southeastern Conference while battling ovarian cancer.

She continued to give everything she could to the Mississippi State softball team as she faced a battle no college freshman should have to face.

While it is certainly impressive that Wilcox was able to do this particular exercise while dealing with a devastating disease, it is truly remarkable to see how she also dedicated herself to her team and to her studies. Despite having to go through treatments to fight ovarian cancer and the regular straining schedule SEC student-athletes face, Wilcox was named to the SEC Honor Roll in the spring of 2018.

Her legacy will always live on at Mississippi State, and that’s the way it should be.

During halftime of MSU’s game against Louisiana-Lafayette, the Bulldogs will retire Alex Wilcox’s number. Wilcox is the first female student-athlete to have her number retired by MSU. https://t.co/Pg1sP8YDHp

— Maroon&White Nation (@MandWNation) September 14, 2018

MSU should always celebrate Wilcox, her perseverance, and her heart. If suffering a little leg discomfort every April helps celebrate the memory of one of the most remarkable individuals to ever play in Starkville, then Mississippi State fans who are able to participate should do so. I know I’ll be a little more prepared for next year’s #428WallSitChallenge.

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