BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – For Xander Castillo ‘26, his athletic and academic journey at West Virginia Wesleyan College has been full of challenges and setbacks, even a leave of absence from the school. But through his faith and the support of family, friends and campus community, Castillo is set to graduate in December with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. 

At the recent Academic and Leadership Awards Ceremony, President James Moore presented Castillo with the Inspiration Award, which is given only to students who truly embody inspiration.

Castillo committed to play wide receiver for West Virginia Wesleyan College football in June 2020, amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. A week before players were to report for football camp, he learned the season would be canceled and the fall semester would consist of online classes. Encouraged by one of his coaches, Ben Thornton, Castillo remained committed and arrived on campus for Spring 2021, where he took part in the program’s spring season. 

Going into Fall 2021, Castillo performed well during the two-week camp but suffered a season-ending knee injury on the last day. Soon after, the coach who had been the most encouraging of Castillo’s football aspirations passed away.
Castillo leaned into his faith and stayed the course. 

“My relationship with God was coming into fruition,” he said. “It’s always been a work in progress, but it started to become more real to me. I found peace knowing it was all for a reason.”

Castillo leaned into Fellowship of Christian Athletes and received encouragement from Pastor Ed McDaniels. He returned for spring 2022 healthy and ready to contribute to his team.

“I had a really strong season – showcasing my ability to be able to make a contribution to the team,” he said. “In the Spring Game, I scored two touchdowns. Through the summertime, I worked really hard – the hardest I worked for football in my life. Once we came back for camp, I was very motivated to start and get my first career playing time.”

After a discouraging fall season, Castillo was leaning into his faith and his relationship with FCA on campus.

“I was finding my identity with that, rather than being a football player,” he said. 

Three days before Winter Break began for Castillo’s junior year, he became very sick with what he thought was a stomach bug, but his eyes and skin started turning yellow.

A Google search led Castillo to suspect liver issues, but it would be two to three months before Castillo would receive an official diagnosis.

In the interim, Castillo returned for the Spring semester but struggled with his symptoms and with college life.

“I wasn’t feeling the best,” he said. “I wasn’t motivated to get up and go to class, but I still chose to get up and keep going.  During this time, I received a lot of peace from God,” he said. “Particularly James 1:2-4.”

In March, Castillo became sicker and had to withdraw from WVWC. Within a couple of weeks of noticing a lump on his neck, Castillo would face another diagnosis – Hodgkin’s lymphoma, between stage 3 and 4, and that would give him some answers as to what was causing liver failure.

Castillo began immunotherapy, then transitioned to chemotherapy, which led to more problems with his liver. 

During his time away from school, Castillo started a detailing business at home in Monroe County with the help of his dad and his best friend, Eli, who did much of the work while Castillo was facing more health problems.

In August 2024, Castillo was very sick, rushed to the hospital, and began the process for a full liver transplant. On August 25, 2024, after a 16-hour surgery, Castillo would begin a new road to recovery, gaining strength and being able to walk again.

“I wouldn’t be here without God and without my family,” he said.

He also found support from a former teammate and previous recipient of the Inspiration Award who battled his own health journey with cancer, Khalil Smith ‘23.

Castillo said he encourages everyone not to take their health for granted and to find their strength in God.

Finishing his degree was always in the back of Castillo’s mind, but where that would be was not clear.

“I didn’t want to come back to Wesleyan,” he said. “I was also fearful of the hard times I experienced. God told me to come back here because he had plans to use me – and it all came true. Coach [DeWayne] Martin blessed me with the opportunity to be a student coach and to finish my degree.”

Castillo is grateful for all the support he has received, including from Dean of the Chapel Jonathan Acord. 

On the day of the Academic and Leadership Awards Ceremony, administrators invited Castillo to attend with his parents, Lori and Howie Castillo. He didn’t know what award he had been nominated for until he heard his story being told in the chapel.

“It was just a bittersweet moment that people view me as an inspiration based on what I went through and coming back – that people were inspired by me and so much motivation to do my best to inspire others and use my story for other people’s benefit,” he said. 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for 135 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2026 Best Colleges in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2026  Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan second in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students nearly 60 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and counseling; 22 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.