Big Slick, Kansas City radio station mourn teen who died of cancer. ‘Remember the joy’
A month ago, a Kansas girl interviewed Eric Stonestreet on the radio and met Big Slick stars. At age 19, she died of cancer.
Piper Weeks died Saturday after a three-year battle with cancer. Weeks’ mother described her daughter as passionate about music and justice, witty and compassionate.
The Big Slick and 90.9 The Bridge shared condolences on social media. Weeks was involved with the organizations in May 2026.
On Tuesday, The Bridge rebroadcast the 1 hour, 40-minute radio program Weeks hosted in May.
The station shared on Facebook, “We are so grateful to have been a small part of Piper’s life, one that included music and laughter and love.”
During the 2026 Big Slick weekend, Weeks was interviewed by Al Roker about the event, and visited many Big Slick celebrities, asking them about their first concerts and albums they’d purchased.
The Big Slick’s Facebook page described Weeks as “one of the brightest stars of the entire weekend.”
“Everyone who had the privilege of meeting Piper will remember the joy she brought into every room,” the post read.
Kristen Weeks spoke of her daughter by phone Tuesday.
“Piper is all in for everything that she felt passionate about.”
‘Passionate’ person
From Iola and Fort Scott in southeast Kansas, Weeks was treated at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.
She is remembered as an avid music fan.
Known as “the Beatles girl” in elementary school, Piper learned all she could about the band, down to the members’ shoe sizes.
Her love of music grew from there. She listened to bands like The Avett Brothers, Pink Floyd and Pearl Jam, and recently had gotten into emo music.
“When she felt passionate about a band, she knew everything about that band,” Kristen Weeks said, including the members’ spouses and kids’ names.
During her most recent hospital stay, Weeks was so dominant at name-the-song bingo that she usually got two bingos before anyone else on her treatment team got five in a row.
Kristen Weeks remembered after-school trips to Sonic with Piper and Piper’s sister, Harper Melody. The three would drive around with their drinks, cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper for Piper, “listening to music and talking and being funny and silly.”
Her mother said that Piper “fiercely” loved everybody around her.
Despite her typically sweet and rule-following ways, Weeks got called to her elementary school principal’s office after getting in the face of a boy who picked on her best friend, according to Kristen Weeks.
“She was like, ‘For my friends, I will get in trouble,’” Kristen Weeks said.
A believer in equal rights for LGBTQ people and anyone who was different, Weeks was proud to be able to vote in the August 2025 election, her mother said.
At age 15, Weeks was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer of the bone and soft tissue. She was given three to four months to live, but kept surprising doctors with her positivity, according to Kristen Weeks.
“She had cancer, but cancer didn’t have her. … The bad things that happened to her, she didn’t let them get her down.”
Musical dreams
Children’s Mercy arranged for Weeks to guest DJ a radio special for The Bridge, which first aired in May. Becoming a DJ was one of her goals; before her cancer worsened, she wanted to apply for a position at a local radio station.
Kristen Weeks recounted that her daughter said making the radio show was “the experience of a lifetime.”
In a headset and red panda shirt, Weeks recorded the special from her hospital room. She interviewed Jim Adkins from Jimmy Eat World, Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers and Kansas City’s Eric Stonestreet.
Stonestreet mentioned that Weeks had a good name for radio, to which she quipped, “I was born with it.”
Her segments were introduced with this tag: “Her songs fill her soul, her playlists make the world dance, and she’ll destroy you at music trivia: DJ Piper on 90.9 The Bridge.”
After recording three interviews, Weeks wrapped up her show.
“I am signing off as I am going to take a fat nap,” she said, drawing giggles in the studio.
