lostaussie
09-03-2006, 06:01 PM
Josh Nelson provides Buckeyes’ inspiration
By: Joe Dodd
Josh Nelson is a football player. He has been for most of his life. As a sophomore back-up, he won a state championship ring when his Gilmer Buckeyes won the Class 3A title. As a Junior, he saw considerable playing time on both sides of the football, as a receiver and a linebacker. As a senior this year, while his teammates started practice, Nelson lay in a hospital bed at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.
As his teammates prepared to play in the most anticipated season in Gilmer history, Nelson prepared for life without football.
“Once I realized that I wouldn’t be able to play, it was very hard on me,” Nelson said. “I’ve been playing football since I was in the fourth grade, playing for the Mini-Bucks.”
Nelson has leukemia. He was diagnosed with the disease in January, after his coaches persuaded him to see a doctor because of his decreasing health.
“I would go to Coach (Steve) York and tell him that I don’t feel good. I’d get real tired real easy, and I started getting weaker,” Nelson said. “I thought maybe I was just out of shape really bad.”
When the doctors informed him of his diagnosis, Nelson’s thoughts quickly turned to his senior season playing football. “I asked the doctors if I would be able to play this year, and they said there was a small chance.”
That small chance quickly disappeared as Nelson suffered setback after setback with treatment related health problems. He traveled frequently back and forth to the hospital in Dallas, spending more time in the hospital than at home. In April, Nelson lay in a hospital bed in Dallas as his mother, Trena Fischer died of the same disease in a hospital in Shreveport. He traveled by ambulance to her funeral in Gilmer.
Nelson, a devout Christian, simply says, “He gives us trials to test our faith, to see if we can get through them.”
That Christian faith isn’t something that Nelson developed after his diagnosis. Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor said that Nelson displayed that same set of beliefs every day before his illness. “He was the epitome of what Christians ought to be like. He was the only bible that most people read that day.”
Nelson’s influence was so strong that many of his teammates started attending church services with Nelson.
Traylor said that Nelson’s absence was a staggering loss for his team. “He’s a player. He could play the game,” stated Traylor. ‘He was a good linebacker and inside receiver. He was one of my leaders. Imagine losing your Bill Bates; he’s the Bill Bates of our team.”
That sense of loss was especially hard to Nelson’s fellow seniors on the team, who were tasked with deciding on a team motto for the season. Nelson’s best friend Adam Turner did some research and learned that the name Nelson means “Son of a Champion.” That was it; the seniors had their motto.
“He’s been a motivation to all of us,” Turner said. “This season is really in his name. We’re trying to do this for him, more than for any of us.”
Nelson was humbled when he learned of his teammates’ motto. “It makes me feel more of a part of the team,” said Nelson. “I’m glad that I can do something to help even though I’m not on the field with my teammates.”
Traylor knows that Nelson, “doesn’t like all of the attention, but he knows those guys are rallying for him.”
But as Nelson continued to languish in his hospital bed, missing the team picture, Meet the Buckeyes, and the team’s first two scrimmages; Traylor sensed that his team needed more than just a motto. “It would really be nice if we could just get him around,” said Traylor following the team’s final scrimmage. “I wish he were just here. That would help our kids’ spirits.”
On Tuesday, Nelson returned home to Gilmer and visited with teammates, who arrived by his bedside after practice. Thursday night as his teammates took the field at Trinity Mother Frances’ Rose Stadium in the season opener against the Bishop Gorman Gaels of Las Vegas Nevada, Nelson looked on from underneath a canopy in the north end zone.
Nelson may not have played, but he was on the field to see his teammates roll over the Gaels 56-14. “It meant a lot,” said Curtis Brown, who scored three of Gilmer’s touchdowns against Bishop Gorman. “I wanted to make him proud of me. I scored one touchdown and pointed at him, and it seemed like it made him happy.”
“It’s unbelievable,” said Traylor. “It’s just an answered prayer. I can’t tell you what it did for my kids, the coaches, all of us. It was just good to see him smile. You could just see that he had a lot of energy, and I haven’t seen him look that good in a long time.”
After the game was over, the team gathered around Nelson on the field. As Traylor was handed the football-shaped game trophy, he passed it over to Nelson, who held it in the air while his teammates cheered. Traylor hopes it is a scene that will repeat itself at the end of the season.
“The Cinderella story is that he’s got his jersey on, and he’s on the sidelines and cheering for us in the state championship game.”
By: Joe Dodd
Josh Nelson is a football player. He has been for most of his life. As a sophomore back-up, he won a state championship ring when his Gilmer Buckeyes won the Class 3A title. As a Junior, he saw considerable playing time on both sides of the football, as a receiver and a linebacker. As a senior this year, while his teammates started practice, Nelson lay in a hospital bed at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas.
As his teammates prepared to play in the most anticipated season in Gilmer history, Nelson prepared for life without football.
“Once I realized that I wouldn’t be able to play, it was very hard on me,” Nelson said. “I’ve been playing football since I was in the fourth grade, playing for the Mini-Bucks.”
Nelson has leukemia. He was diagnosed with the disease in January, after his coaches persuaded him to see a doctor because of his decreasing health.
“I would go to Coach (Steve) York and tell him that I don’t feel good. I’d get real tired real easy, and I started getting weaker,” Nelson said. “I thought maybe I was just out of shape really bad.”
When the doctors informed him of his diagnosis, Nelson’s thoughts quickly turned to his senior season playing football. “I asked the doctors if I would be able to play this year, and they said there was a small chance.”
That small chance quickly disappeared as Nelson suffered setback after setback with treatment related health problems. He traveled frequently back and forth to the hospital in Dallas, spending more time in the hospital than at home. In April, Nelson lay in a hospital bed in Dallas as his mother, Trena Fischer died of the same disease in a hospital in Shreveport. He traveled by ambulance to her funeral in Gilmer.
Nelson, a devout Christian, simply says, “He gives us trials to test our faith, to see if we can get through them.”
That Christian faith isn’t something that Nelson developed after his diagnosis. Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor said that Nelson displayed that same set of beliefs every day before his illness. “He was the epitome of what Christians ought to be like. He was the only bible that most people read that day.”
Nelson’s influence was so strong that many of his teammates started attending church services with Nelson.
Traylor said that Nelson’s absence was a staggering loss for his team. “He’s a player. He could play the game,” stated Traylor. ‘He was a good linebacker and inside receiver. He was one of my leaders. Imagine losing your Bill Bates; he’s the Bill Bates of our team.”
That sense of loss was especially hard to Nelson’s fellow seniors on the team, who were tasked with deciding on a team motto for the season. Nelson’s best friend Adam Turner did some research and learned that the name Nelson means “Son of a Champion.” That was it; the seniors had their motto.
“He’s been a motivation to all of us,” Turner said. “This season is really in his name. We’re trying to do this for him, more than for any of us.”
Nelson was humbled when he learned of his teammates’ motto. “It makes me feel more of a part of the team,” said Nelson. “I’m glad that I can do something to help even though I’m not on the field with my teammates.”
Traylor knows that Nelson, “doesn’t like all of the attention, but he knows those guys are rallying for him.”
But as Nelson continued to languish in his hospital bed, missing the team picture, Meet the Buckeyes, and the team’s first two scrimmages; Traylor sensed that his team needed more than just a motto. “It would really be nice if we could just get him around,” said Traylor following the team’s final scrimmage. “I wish he were just here. That would help our kids’ spirits.”
On Tuesday, Nelson returned home to Gilmer and visited with teammates, who arrived by his bedside after practice. Thursday night as his teammates took the field at Trinity Mother Frances’ Rose Stadium in the season opener against the Bishop Gorman Gaels of Las Vegas Nevada, Nelson looked on from underneath a canopy in the north end zone.
Nelson may not have played, but he was on the field to see his teammates roll over the Gaels 56-14. “It meant a lot,” said Curtis Brown, who scored three of Gilmer’s touchdowns against Bishop Gorman. “I wanted to make him proud of me. I scored one touchdown and pointed at him, and it seemed like it made him happy.”
“It’s unbelievable,” said Traylor. “It’s just an answered prayer. I can’t tell you what it did for my kids, the coaches, all of us. It was just good to see him smile. You could just see that he had a lot of energy, and I haven’t seen him look that good in a long time.”
After the game was over, the team gathered around Nelson on the field. As Traylor was handed the football-shaped game trophy, he passed it over to Nelson, who held it in the air while his teammates cheered. Traylor hopes it is a scene that will repeat itself at the end of the season.
“The Cinderella story is that he’s got his jersey on, and he’s on the sidelines and cheering for us in the state championship game.”