One wrestler's victory, another's hug make for two winners

March 14, 2014 at 11:37AM
(Rick Sennott/Rick Sennott)

Fifteen-year-old Malik Stewart remains puzzled by his instant celebrity. He's been featured on the "Today" show, is an Internet sensation and on Thursday was nominated for a national Wall of Fame — all after losing the biggest wrestling match of his young career.

After his defeat in the 120-pound state title match last week, Malik approached his opponent's father, who is battling cancer in his lungs and chest, and gave him a hug. The crowd at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul cheered as enthusiastically for Malik, a sophomore at Blaine High School, as for his victorious opponent, Mitchell McKee of St. Michael-Albertville.

"I told him to stay strong and congratulated him," Malik said he told Steve McKee. "It wasn't something I planned."

Nor could he foresee the reaction to a gesture that has taken on heavyweight proportions.

Olympic Choices, a two-year-old national program dedicated to developing moral and ethical character in young people, announced Thursday that Malik was its first Wall of Fame nominee. On Monday, the "Today" show ran an 88-second segment on Malik, using still photos taken of the hug that has gone viral.

His story has been published in newspapers coast to coast. The e-mails keep coming.

"I'm shocked," Malik said.

You'd think he had won the state tournament.

"At first I thought it was going to be a handshake," Steve McKee, 50, of Hanover, said of the hug. "Now, I couldn't have been prouder at the moment of my son, Mitchell. But after Malik gave that hug, I said to the guy I was sitting next to, 'That's a class act right there.' "

Among the witnesses in the crowd was T.J. Anderson, an assistant wrestling coach with Dassel-Cokato Middle School. In an e-mail to Blaine High administrators, he said that Malik "understands what true sportsmanship is" and called him "a model wrestler that we can all use in our examples of what a true athlete is."

Blaine High School decided to highlight Malik's gesture on its Facebook page — and news of his action spread from there.

Malik says he stands 5 feet, 4 inches tall, but clearly he plays big. A cornerback, he was named the top defensive player on Blaine's football team. He also plays rugby and jokes, "I like to hit people."

He's taken his share of hard knocks. His father died of a heart attack when Malik was 7. There are 10 kids in his blended family, and his mom, Tammi Halsey, said that when Malik began wrestling, the family couldn't afford to buy him wrestling shoes.

"When he hugged that man, I started crying," Halsey said.

Rivals and teammates

Malik and Mitchell McKee, 16, have known each other for years and were teammates on a national youth wrestling team that competed in Illinois and Indiana. When Mitchell learned of his father's cancer, he contacted Malik.

"I don't talk much about what happened to my dad, but me and Mitchell were teammates," Malik said. "I know what it's like. It's hard. I wanted to wish him well."

Steve McKee says he has lived with the cancer for about a year. He says he hasn't given up hope, but now lives his dreams through his sons, Mitchell and Patrick. And through kids like Malik.

Malik has dreams, too. He hopes to one day study at the University of Wisconsin and become an anesthesiologist. He says he relies on the role models in his life — his mother, stepfather and coaches — for inspiration.

Steve McKee suggests Malik glance in the mirror next time he's looking for inspiration.

"Quite a gesture," McKee said. "He had us both in tears."

Paul Levy • 612-673-4419


Malik Stewart, who had just been defeated in a championship wrestling match by Mitchell McKee, hugged Mitchell’s father, Steve McKee, during the state high school tournament in St. Paul this month. Steve McKee, who is battling cancer, said: “I couldn’t have been prouder at the moment of my son, Mitchell. But after Malik gave that hug, I said to the guy I was sitting next to, ‘That’s a class act right t
Malik Stewart gave Steve McKee a hug moments after losing a championship wrestling match to McKee’s son Mitchell. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Mitchell McKee of St. Michael-Albertville hugged his dad Steve McKee after winning the 3A 120lb championship match. Steve McKee left a hospital bed where he is under going treatment for cancer to watch his son wrestle. [ Prep State Wrestling Individual Championships (MARLIN LEVISON/STARTRIBUNE(mlevison@startribune.com)
Mitchell McKee hugged his dad, Steve McKee, after winning his championship match. Steve McKee is fighting chest and lung cancer. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Malik Stewart's bedroom walls are crowded with wrestling medals and trophies. ] After Blaine sophomore wrestler Malik Stewart lost his 3A state title match last week, he hugged his opponent's father, who has cancer. "I told him to stay strong and congratulated him," Malik said this week. "It wasn't something I planned beforehand." Malik didn't plan for the standing ovation that followed or the outpouring of national reaction to his kind gesture, either. Richard.Sennott@startribune.com Richard Se
Malik Stewart’s bedroom walls are crowded with wrestling medals and trophies. “Me and Mitchell were teammates. I know what it’s like. It’s hard. I wanted to wish him well.” (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Malik Stewart's bedroom walls are crowded with wrestling medals and trophies. ] After Blaine sophomore wrestler Malik Stewart lost his 3A state title match last week, he hugged his opponent's father, who has cancer. "I told him to stay strong and congratulated him," Malik said this week. "It wasn't something I planned beforehand." Malik didn't plan for the standing ovation that followed or the outpouring of national reaction to his kind gesture, either. Richard.Sennott@startribune.com Richard Se
“It wasn’t something I planned,” Malik said. He and Mitchell have known each other for several years. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Paul Levy, Star Tribune

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