Battling Cancer, Kevin Varnell Gifted WSOP Seat by Poker Pro Son
Level 22
: 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Poker pro Craig Varnell came up with a cool gift idea for his father, Kevin Varnell, who was diagnosed with brain cancer last year — a seat in WSOP Event #52: $1,000 Seniors Championship.
The elder Varnell isn't much of a poker player, unlike his son who has over $2.5 million in live tournament cashes, but he enjoys the game recreationally and was thrilled to receive such a generous offer.
Varnell, who lives in Denver, Colorado, is a 65-year-old retired United Airlines mechanic. Last summer, he went to the doctor where he discovered some uneasy news.
"They did an MRI and found a tumor the size of a golf ball in my brain," he told PokerNews moments after his elimination from the Seniors event.