Gophers' Casey O'Brien set to have lung procedure Wednesday
Casey O'Brien and Fleck embrace after O'Brien makes his Gophers debut on Saturday after battling cancer.
MINNEAPOLIS - Gophers third-string holder on special teams and four-time cancer survivor Casey O’Brien has a routine after he gets his three-month check-ups.
He’s been cancer-free for about 18 months after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer, when he was 13 years old and fighting the disease four different times. He gets his scans, gets the results and immediately calls Gopher football coach PJ Fleck. The two typically spend time in Fleck’s office, celebrating each clean scan that comes.
Monday was a slightly different story. He got his scan and called Fleck, but the meeting wasn’t upbeat at first. The news wasn’t what O’Brien had hoped. Doctors found a small spot on one of his lungs, and they want it removed to see exactly what they’re dealing with.
O’Brien will have the procedure on Wednesday, and he doesn’t yet know if that spot is cancerous. It’s another challenge as the Gophers prepare for one of the biggest games in program history on Saturday, with Wisconsin coming to town and a trip to the Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis on the line.
“He’ll be back with our football team as soon as he possibly can. I told our team we have an angel with us, we do. An angel living on Earth, that’s who he is. That’s what he is there to do is to bring hope to so many people and that’s what he’s done. He’s going to attack this like he attacks everything else, with strength, courage and culture,” Fleck said. “Just power to find a way to beat the odds.”
When O’Brien delivered the news to Fleck, he also wanted to update his teammates. He called for a team meeting, which is unusual for a Monday. It’s the players’ day off. Those that could be were there.
O’Brien’s story is well-chronicled. He was diagnosed with cancer after experiencing pain in his knee while playing football at Cretin-Derham Hall. That knee was eventually replaced. He’s endured months of chemotherapy, and was cleared to return to football activities with the Gophers before the 2019 spring session began.
His college dream came full circle on Oct. 19 in Minnesota’s 42-7 win at Rutgers. Fleck sent O’Brien on the field for not one, not two but three extra point attempts. He was the holder for Michael Lantz, who made all three kicks. O’Brien’s teammates mobbed him after, and he share a long embrace with Fleck on the sidelines. O'Brien made his home debut the following week in Minnesota's 52-10 win over Maryland.
O’Brien’s college debut made national headlines, and left Gopher fans and Fleck himself wiping tears. Gophers' quarterback Tanner Morgan fought a few emotions Tuesday when asked about his teammate and friend.
“I love the kid to death and I know he’s going to battle through this and be OK. He knows he’s got 120 brothers in Maroon and Gold that are fighting for him every single day,” Morgan said Tuesday. “I’ve talked to him a lot since then, and just his attitude and his mentality is insane. He’s a special kid. God has definitely brought him through a lot of things in his life, but the way that he holds true to his faith through these challenges is unreal.”
O’Brien shared his story before the season at the Big Ten Media Days luncheon. Since the news came out Monday, people all over the world have gone to Twitter to wish him well. O’Brien joined his teammates at Iowa two weeks ago after the first quarter when they waved up to kids battling cancer at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, across the street from Kinnick Stadium.
O’Brien still wears wristbands to honor kids who are either still fighting disease, or who have died from it. Though it was announced Tuesday, Fleck and the team learned last week O’Brien was the recipient of the 2019 Disney Spirit Award. It’s given to college football’s most inspirational player, coach, team or figure. He’ll get the honor at the College Football Awards on Dec. 12.
Like he has four times before, O’Brien plans to fight and beat whatever this next challenge is that’s ahead of him. He’ll learn more after his procedure on Wednesday.
“I consider myself a pretty positive guy, but he inspires me every day to be better. Just like he said in his tweet, he’s going to be 1-0 in the surgery season,” Fleck said.