Hokie ClubChristmas is supposed to be a time of joy, but I can't say there was much joy last December.
I remember an abundance of heartbreak, pain and tears.
Earlier that month, I found out my dad had pancreatic cancer.
Most would agree there isn't a scarier word in the English language, so when I heard the news, my heart immediately sank, and I began to fear the worst.
It was an extremely difficult time for me and my family, but I was grateful to at least have basketball to take my mind off things.
Unfortunately, that wouldn't last long.
In the last game before I went home for Christmas, I fractured the radius in my left elbow.
Hunter Cattoor suffered an injury at Boston College last December that kept him out four games.
When it rains, it pours, right?
I remember being back home in Orlando in a sling with all these different doctor's appointments and X-rays scheduled.
And my dad was getting a bunch of tests done because he was about to start chemo.
It was chaotic, to say the least.
If there was any silver lining throughout the adversity I faced, it's that I began to lean on my faith more than I ever have before.
God was with us through the deepest of valleys, which is something my entire family and I embraced during this period.
Sometimes, it was hard to remember during my darkest days, but in my heart of hearts, I had faith there would be blessings to come from this.
ALWAYS HUNGRY FOR MORE
I've never really been a person that feels satisfied.
That might sound strange, but that's what drives me. It keeps me from being complacent and hungry for more.
When I signed with VT, people kept asking me how excited I was. And don't get me wrong, I was pumped. After all, the ACC is one of the premier basketball conferences in the entire country. If you can't get fired up to play games against North Carolina and Duke, I'm not sure what to tell you.
Hunter Cattoor runs up the court at Duke last season.
But I wasn't shocked, nor did I necessarily feel like all my dreams came true.
It's forever been my goal to play professional basketball one day, and this just felt like another step toward that goal.
I worked tirelessly to earn a scholarship to play for such a prominent university as Virginia Tech, but I also knew the hard work was just beginning.
GROWING IN FAITH
It never ceases to amaze me how life can change in the blink of an eye.
As I gained more and more playing time, I started every game during my junior season and came into my own as a player.
Hunter Cattoor cuts a piece of net after the Hokies won the 2022 ACC tournament title.
Then, in an instant, it felt like the world crumbled around me with my dad's cancer diagnosis and my injury.
I'd just sit there every day asking myself, why is this happening to me?
Why is this happening to my family?
When I realized I'd never receive the answers to these questions, that's when our faith began to grow as a family.
It brought us all closer together in our faith and relationships with one another because while it was a tough time, we weren't alone.
We had each other, and we had our faith to help us weather this storm.
Hunter Cattoor is escorted by him mom, Kathy, and dad, Rodney (back left), during 2023 Senior Day.
I also saw the blessings in my life that I maybe didn't see before or took for granted.
It was a helpless feeling being sidelined and not out there fighting with my guys, but at the same time, it paled in comparison to what my dad and countless others go through daily in battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
While I went through some dark times, it reminded me how grateful I am for the life that I have.
It also taught me to appreciate every minute of every day because you just never know what can happen.
A CELEBRATION AND MILESTONE
I only ended up missing four games last year and was able to come back and finish the season, which was a tremendous blessing in itself, but the blessings didn't stop there.
This past October, our prayers were answered as my dad was declared cancer-free after he had surgery and completed his chemo treatments.
It was like the weight of the world was lifted off my family's shoulders.
About a month after my dad became cancer-free, there was another special moment in my family when I broke the Tech 3-point record against Boise State in my hometown of Orlando.
It would've been amazing to break the record in Blacksburg or anywhere else in the country, but to do it in my hometown, in front of my family after everything they went through in the last year, almost leaves me without words.
It was such a surreal experience.
Teammates celebrate in the locker room with Hunter Cattoor following the Orlando, Fla., native breaking the Tech 3-point record in his hometown.
I give all the credit to my coaches who instilled confidence in me, my teammates for giving me great looks, and my family and friends who have supported me every step of the way.
This past year tested me in about every way imaginable, but I constantly kept my faith, knowing there would be better days ahead.
Celebrating my dad's successful battle against cancer and sharing that moment with him of breaking the record in my hometown is something I'll cherish for the rest of my life.
A LIFE-CHANGING PERSPECTIVE
With the highs and lows I've experienced in the past year, I can't emphasize enough how much I've changed my perspective on life.
There isn't a single day I take for granted now because I saw how precious life can be when my dad was going through his diagnosis and treatments. The thought of never being able to tell him I loved him again tore me up inside,
and I'm just blessed I still have that opportunity.
The same goes for the rest of my family and friends. None of us know how long we have on this earth, so telling people that I love them and I appreciate them is a priority for me going forward.
Hunter Cattoor and head coach Mike Young share a laugh before getting their 2022 ACC championship rings at a Thursday night football game between Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
My faith also remains instrumental in my life.
I think it's sometimes easy for us to rely on our faith when things get tough, but when everything is good again, we toss it to the side, and it no longer takes precedence.
That's not how I want to live my life.
Not only do I want to continue to develop a stronger relationship with God, but I also want to help others do the same. If I can help people connect with God and their faith on a deeper level like I have in the last year, that's all I could ever ask for and more.
The adversity and struggles I went through were agonizing at times, but they've made me a more complete and faith-filled person.
That's why in our lowest moments, it's a reminder to keep the faith and trust in God's plan.
No matter how it appears, His plan is always bigger than our own.
Trusting in His plan, I'm going to continue to live life to the fullest and do so with a full and grateful heart.