A freshman in in high school just trying to find his way around. He was an up and and coming quarterback for Cretin Derham Hall High School in St. Paul Minnesota. His dreams were to one day player division one football; however, god had other plans for this young man, or so they thought.
Let me introduce to you, Casey O’Brien.
During that freshman year of high school Casey felt pain in his left knee while playing football. After numerous of of doctor examinations, it was concluded that Casey was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma. A cancer that takes the lives of many young kids with a survival rate of only 30%. The odds were against Casey, but those odds had met their match.
Casey endured 18 rounds of chemotherapy and 8 1/2 hours in surgery to fight this battle. A tumor that was in his knee caused him to need a knee-replacement which meant he would never be able to play the game he loved again, football. He was cancer free, but relapsed 6 months later, this time the cancer spread to his lungs. Back he went to the hospital to endure another 7 months of chemotherapy. You may imagine that this kid, ripped from dreams, was laying in bed watching TV and this life-threatening disease wiped away his energy. Not Casey. Casey convinced his doctors to clear him to be the place holder for his sophomore season. A position that has a low probably of getting hit, placeholders hold the ball for field goal kicks. The other teams had no idea his circumstances so in the event of a bad snap, Casey was at risk of getting hit. He didn’t care, he just wanted to play the game that kept him alive. It wasn’t rare if Casey would play Friday night games and then go back to the hospital Saturday morning to continue his chemotherapy. He was so visibly weak, weighing in at 130 pounds, that even his mom had a hard time walking into that stadium. He may have been physically weak; however, he strong spirit kept him going.
After the cancer spread to his lungs, the chance of survival diminished significantly, but it still didn’t stop him. 8 days after getting 60 stitches in his lungs, he returned to the field to fulfill his heart and to strive towards his dreams of playing division one football.
Only one team gave him a shot, his hometown Golden Gophers of the University of Minnesota and their coach P.J. Fleck. As he began his journey with the team his cancer relapsed two more times, yet he still never missed a practice. Not once. He envisioned himself every night going on that field for the first time. Just last Saturday, he was able to do just that. In a game against Rutgers, Casey was sent in to hold the point after. Despite countless surgeries, chemotherapy sessions, and over 200 nights in the hospital, Casey didn’t just beat the odds, he crushed them.
He was a walk-on placeholder, arguably the least noticed position on the field, but not for the Gophers. Casey’s inspiring story doesn’t end there, nor is his journey over. Each week he visits the Minnesota Children’s hospital to visit patients fighting that same fight. His presence gives patients motivation and reiterates what star NFL wide receiver, Wes Welker, told him. “The whole world is supporting you.” Each game, he wears 6 wristbands to support patients and their families. Some of them are no longer with us but are watching Casey represent them with strength and pride. Casey has inspired anyone who has learned about him.
What keeps you alive? Your answer to that question should never be taken for granted.
