A former college football star is now fighting cancer at 38 years old.
Stephen Garcia, a quarterback for four years at South Carolina, revealed on social media Wednesday that he was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer.
A GoFundMe page, organized by his wife Maria that has already garnered nearly $100K in donations, said that after a trip to the emergency room and multiple imaging tests, Garcia was diagnosed with cancer and was set to begin chemotherapy. He is now on an “aggressive” track, and “he will be meeting with specialized liver and colon surgeons to determine the next steps in his treatment plan.”
Garcia took to Facebook to share the GoFundMe link and said he is confident he will be able to overcome the diagnosis.
View this post on Instagram “Wasn’t overly excited to share this news but it is what it is. We have a great team of doctors and staff that’s confident we can beat this! It’s the only option,” he wrote. “If there’s one lesson to be learned, get checked and don’t be afraid to visit the doctors office when you don’t feel 100%.”
He later thanked everyone for their support on his Instagram story.
Stephen Garcia of the South Carolina Gamecocks looks to pass against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on September 10, 2011 in Athens, Georgia. Getty Images Garcia had a prolific career with the Gamecocks, throwing for 7,597 yards and 49 touchdowns. In 2009, as a sophomore, he led the SEC with 239 completions before throwing a career-high 3,059 yards with 20 touchdowns during the next campaign, as South Carolina finished at No. 22 in the final poll of the season.
His 20 wins rank tied for third-most in program history. Garcia later spent time in the CFL, AFL and AAF after his college football days.
South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer said he is “praying” for the former QB.
Stephen Garcia of the South Carolina Gamecocks answers questions after winning a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 13, 2010 Getty Images “I talked to Stephen about an hour ago, actually, and he was in great spirits,” Beamer said Wednesday in Columbia, according to The State. “Then texting back and forth since we talked on the phone about an hour ago and told him to attack this thing with the same mindset that he’s attacked everything going back to when he was a player here and still is now as a human being.
“Told him I got his back, and we all have his back. Just praying hard for him right now.”
