A few days ago while walking my dog around the block, I spotted a piece of litter not far from where Cooper left his morning deposit so I added the discarded trash to the plastic bag. Picking up the piece of trash reminded me of one of the rules of former Northern State University basketball coach Don Meyer. Picking up trash was on his list of things we should all do.
Coach Meyer has been on my mind a great deal these past few weeks.
It all stems from the time I took photographs for the Aberdeen American News back in April 2014 at the announcement of the Don and Carmen Meyer Center of Excellence. As was often the case, Coach Meyer gave me unfettered access to take photos when I was around him and this day was no different. I was waiting and watching in a holding area with Don and Carmen as they waited to be introduced. My hope was to get the moment they walked out and greeted the crowd.
As we waited Coach asked me if everything was OK with me and my family and I said yes everything was just fine. To which he said well if you ever need anything you let me know. I thanked him and said I appreciated the offer. It was a sincere and generous offer coming from a man dealing with cancer and health issues of his own. Coach would pass away just a few weeks after the event.
A true classy moment from Coach directed toward me when the spotlight was meant to be on Don and Carmen that day for their generous donation that would go on to help improve the health of others.
Well it took awhile, but now more than 10 years later I need that help and I’m finally going to take Coach Meyer up on that offer.
It turns out my recent surgery revealed I have cancer. So, I will be spending a little less time taking photographs in the coming weeks and more of my time in that Cancer Center facility Don and Carmen helped to get started.
Like the thousands of other cancer patients that have gone through that facility since it opened in 2016, I don’t know how my journey will end or what twists or turns it will take. Yet, with just having had a few office visits for treatment so far, I feel a great deal of comfort and confidence going forward with the help from the medical staff.
Most importantly it helps knowing that even in spirit, Coach Meyer will be with me each step along the way.
