The Story
The Pyramid Principle tells the story of John Vallely—two-time NCAA champion, NBA player, devoted husband and father, and lifelong student of Coach John Wooden—whose greatest lessons were never confined to the court. At the height of a life defined by discipline, faith, and achievement, John faces the unimaginable loss of his daughter—a tragedy that no amount of success can shield us from.
This film is not about championships or scoreboards. It’s about who we are when the wins stop coming. About how we carry love through loss, meaning through pain, and purpose through grief. Because no matter how strong we are on the court—or in life—what defines us is not what we achieve, but how we rise when everything we built is tested.
Critical Crossroads
The Pyramid Principle exists at a critical crossroads, where institutional silence continues to slow progress, where pediatric cancer remains underfunded and unseen, and where families are still asked to endure loss without the support, urgency,
or visibility they deserve.
At this moment, faith, courage, and storytelling have the power to carry truth farther than systems ever could.
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This film is not simply a reflection on what was lost. It asks what we are called to build when answers feel insufficient, when grief reshapes everything, and when purpose must be chosen again and again.
We believe storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have to create meaningful change, not through noise or spectacle, but through authenticity, emotion and shared humanity.
Through stories that remind us
that even in the deepest loss,
purpose and meaning can still rise.
The Pyramid Principle is designed to be a catalyst for change. One that expands awareness, opens hearts and transforms faith into action.
This is not just a film. It is an invitation to build something lasting together.
The Mission
Pediatric cancer remains one of the most underfunded areas of medical research, forcing children and families to rely on treatment protocols developed decades ago. While the science is ready to advance, progress has been slowed by a lack of visibility and funding. Breakthroughs require more than innovation alone.
They require attention, advocacy, and collective will.
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This is where The Pyramid Principle matters.
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Our mission is to bring pediatric cancer out of the shadows by expanding its
reach beyond traditional donor circles—engaging new communities,
inspiring renewed hope, and reframing pediatric cancer not as a
distant issue, but as a shared responsibility we all carry.
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Rooted in faith, this story doesn’t end on the screen. By illuminating both
the human cost of inaction and the profound possibility that emerges when people show up with conviction, The Pyramid Principle seeks to accelerate
critical funding and momentum for lifesaving pediatric cancer research,
at the moment it is needed most.