Former South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia changes his approach on mental health amid cancer battle

Former South Carolina backmost Stephen Garcia is presently battling for his life aft being diagnosed pinch shape 4 colorectal cancer.

The test came aft noticing definite abnormalities, but nan hard-nosed erstwhile jock thought he could fig retired nan issues connected his ain without a sojourn to nan doctors. His woman wasn’t comfortable pinch that scheme from nan quarterback, who utilized to return snaps for a Steve Spurrier-led discourtesy led discourtesy successful Columbia.

Reluctantly, Garcia went successful for a colonoscopy wherever doctors discovered nan cancer, and that it had been increasing for a number of years.

Unfortunately, Stephen wasn’t afloat grasping nan news erstwhile first given, owed to him still being somewhat groggy from sedation.

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Stephen Garcia of nan South Carolina Gamecocks looks to walk against nan Georgia Bulldogs astatine Sanford Stadium successful Athens, Ga., connected Sept. 10, 2011. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

But, erstwhile it was yet explained to him really superior this business was, reality group successful beautiful quickly.

Obviously, there's thing elemental astir proceeding nan connection 'cancer,' nary matter which shape aliases shape you are dealing with. It will humble you quickly, pinch nan grim outlook overtaking nan mind.

And while this process to conflict nan illness will beryllium tough, filled pinch galore obstacles, Garcia was astir worried astir his family.

While his older boy understands nan magnitude, he has yet to afloat pass his youngest daughter, which led to nan erstwhile Gamecock shedding a fewer tears while discussing nan business pinch OutKick connected Friday morning.

Former Gamecock has changed his tune amid conflict pinch cancer

In nan past, Stephen Garcia was not 1 to jump aboard nan mental wellness awareness train, looking astatine it arsenic personification who was not beardown capable to grip nan circumstances surrounding immoderate conflict they were facing.

But, that's nan shot broadside of Garcia, and he was nan first to admit that his mindset had changed because of nan stigma surrounding people, astir importantly men, not emotion comfortable capable to talk their struggles.

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This problem has led to galore downfalls, aliases problems that originate by not talking to others astir what they are going done successful nan moments of tests and tribulations.

For Stephen, that has each changed.

"In years past, I thought intelligence wellness was an absolute joke, conscionable to beryllium wholly frank pinch you," Garcia told OutKick. "I was like, if you gotta person immoderate intelligence toughness, I played for Coach Spurrier truthful I had to person immoderate intelligence toughness to woody pinch him. But, I was besides highly difficult headed. It is huge. There’s gonna beryllium days erstwhile you’re not gonna locomotion to talk pinch anybody, days you wanna springiness up, you gotta enactment mentally tough. This full process has opened my eyes to a full different deal.

"People tin change. I was against nan full intelligence wellness thing, I thought it was stupid. But, it’s changed my opinion, my outlook connected life successful general, and I promote everyone to speak it up. I’ve had truthful galore group scope retired to opportunity if you request to talk, scope retired to me. Everyone said nan aforesaid point that you person to beryllium mentally successful it. If you are affirmative mentally, you’re going to get done it. If you’re emotion down successful nan dumps, fig retired a measurement to get positive. It’s nary joke, you are wherever your minds at."

South Carolina backmost Stephen Garcia throws a walk against Kentucky successful nan 3rd 4th astatine Williams-Brice Stadium successful Columbia, S.C., connected Oct. 3, 2009. South Carolina defeated Kentucky 28-26. (Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports)

Outreach has been overwhelming, pinch a agelong conflict ahead

After going done his first information of chemotherapy this week, Garcia is coming to position pinch nan conflict he faces, though he's keeping a affirmative outlook for nan liking of himself and his family. He will proceed training athletes, erstwhile his assemblage allows, and utilizing his level to promote others to return their wellness seriously.

If it weren’t for his woman pushing him into getting examined, who knows really agelong this could’ve gone earlier his crab was noticed. In nan meantime, nan support strategy has been overwhelming, arsenic Garcia described while choking backmost tears.

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Stephen Garcia of nan South Carolina Gamecocks drops backmost to walk against nan East Carolina Pirates astatine Bank of America Stadium successful Charlotte, N.C., connected Sept. 3, 2011. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Whether it's nan Clemson football team, aliases Dabo Swinney himself, and nan thousands of group who person reached retired complete nan past fewer days, it's not mislaid connected nan erstwhile backmost really overmuch nan support has meant for his ain sanity during uncertain times.

For now, Stephen Garcia is taking his conflict pinch crab 1 time astatine a time. But, he's besides sewage assemblage shot fans rooting for him to hit this unspeakable disease.