Tennessee
‘Cancer can be a ministry’
DICKSON, TENN. — The sound of victory echoed throughout the…
Teen whose faith outshone his cancer dies
17-year-old Mitchell Boles 'always made people smile.'
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Mitchell Boles, a 17-year-old church member whose faith outshone his cancer, died Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026. He was 17.
Boles, who attended the Beech Bethany Church of Christ in Celina, Tenn., was profiled in a July 2026 feature in The Christian Chronicle:
CELINA, TENN. — “We love Mitchell.”
That phrase has echoed through the pews of Beech Bethany Church of Christ, across group texts and hospital rooms, since 17-year-old Mitchell Boles was diagnosed last summer with a rare, aggressive bone cancer.
Boles, who has grown up in the Middle Tennessee church, is known for his humor, friendliness and diehard college football fandom.
“People keep telling me how much they love him,” said Mitchell’s mother, Hanna. “He’s always made people smile.”
Whether it’s the teenager’s love for fishing or long debates about the rivalry between his Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide, those close to him say his personality has always set him apart. Boles, who is autistic, often describes his faith in simple terms: “Shine your light, do what’s right.”
In that piece, Boles told the Chronicle: “I don’t care if I die — I know I’ll be in heaven. I got baptized, and my name is written in the Book of Life.”
Mitchell Boles poses for a picture with his father, Ray, and mother, Hanna, outside the Beech Bethany Church of Christ.
Boles’ full obituary provides details on his funeral service later this week.
EPHRAIM RODENBACH, a sports journalism major at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., served as a Christian Chronicle intern this summer. Contact [email protected].
