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Angels of Hope at Relay for Life 2023.

After a pink themed pep rally, No. 70 Stevie Garcia, No. 15 Juan Ramos and No. 45 Alejandro Malacara stand alongside their teammates and Monica Martinez-Hamilton wearing ribbons representing the different cancers that have affected the team and displaying their motto for the year.

A new tradition started by the event organizers of Relay for Life of Webb County to kickoff fundraising efforts with walking the First Lap, officially, in January.

On a warm, breezy, spring Friday night, in 2016, Laredoans and those from the surrounding area gathered at The SAC for one cause - cancer awareness - at the Relay for Life of Webb County event.

My husband and I, recent transplants, sat at our designated seat up front and center to the stage on the east parking lot. Seats are assigned according to the years of survivorship. For me, I lined up with the over 10 years section. We looked around and saw teams and booths memorializing their loved ones. Schools came to show their support for their colleagues by forming their own teams. They set up camps on the perimeter and decorated to the theme: Relay Around the World. The wind blew consistently making everything flyable. Laura Nañez, the event leader, approached the podium to officially begin the event.

I was there because I was invited to participate by a colleague, Anna Nañez - a volunteer for the organization. I found Relay for Life to be somewhat cathartic and gave me a space to remember the effects of cancer in my life in the company of others who understood. And just for one night, it was permissible to think about our situation. We ended the night with thankfulness for we were beyond the mystery of what cancer would do to us. Would I do this annually? It was an uncomfortable experience, and I was dubious.

In the spring of 2018, Anna approached me because she had an opportunity for the Cigarroa football program. She asked if our football team could volunteer to be the Angels of Hope, the manual labor, supporters for the event, help push survivors in wheelchairs, set up the Luminarias and even catch flyables. This gave the team an opportunity and grabbed it. Head coach Carlo Hein agreed.

"Cancer has affected so many families… even within our coaching ranks. So, we try to get involved," Hein said. "We feel fortunate to have had special moments at Relay for Life between our players. Now it's become a tradition for the Toro football family, and we feel truly blessed to be a part of it."

Toro football was present and ready to serve, a dozen strong, for the first time in 2018. They have showed up annually thereafter (except for pandemic years). It was especially meaningful this spring; the varsity team had three senior football players who lost a parent to cancer - Juan Ramos, Alejandro Malacara and Stevie Garcia being the most recently affected.

Stevie had participated at the Relay for Life the year before. He took note of what he saw, and the battle scars survivors displayed. He saw headwraps, wheelchairs and young faces. At the time, his father, Marco Garcia, was struggling with his health and could not find a diagnosis despite traveling out of town to see specialists. It would be later in the summer when a diagnosis was made, stage 4 stomach cancer. The news was devastating to their family. Positive thoughts had to overtake fear and doubt. Prayers and proactivity had to replace anxiety. They still had to contend with the world of cancer and how to keep Marco's spirit uplifted, but it was he who decided his method of operation.

"Marco is the one who kept us whole," Monica Garcia, Stevie's mother, said. "His positive mindset and his will to live was what set the tone for his battle." She continued, "He would tell Stevie…the way you hit in every game is how I will hit cancer every time."

Purposeful and intentional positive mindset by Marco established the goal of regaining his health and his life for himself and family. A short, intense and tough battle ensued. Stevie, along with his mother and siblings, did what they could to care for him and make him as comfortable as possible while he endured treatments, long drives to San Antonio and long nights together. Unfortunately, all possibilities extended were exhausted. Marco died on January 26, 2023, just four months shy of his son's graduation and missing all the typical spring traditions of any senior year.

Relay for Life can be significant, differently, for each caretaker or survivor.

For Alejandro Malacara, who lost his father, Chano Malacara, to liver cancer at age 9, he signed on early in the semester. He spearheaded the volunteer efforts this year for the Toros by reaching out to the underclassmen and extending an invitation to attend. There was a gap in service due to the pandemic, and it was Malacara and those who volunteered who closed it inspired by their senior teammates. There were almost 50 Toros in attendance this year. After this experience, Malacara expressed what Relay did for him.

"(Relay) was a way of remembering my dad and helped bring back past memories that I hadn't realized were still in the back of my (mind)," Malacara said.

Juan Ramos lost his mother, Joanna Ramos, when he was 8 to breast cancer. He was also in attendance in silent support. He walked in her honor. The entire team wore ribbons in the colors of the cancers that has affected the program: periwinkle, green, pink and teal.

For me, it was a difficult experience to be a survivor among caretakers who lost their loved ones. When I walked the survivor lap, it was they who accompanied me with the rest of the seniors trailing. We walked together knowing we fought the same battle in different ways, different times and different places.

As for me, becoming an Ambassador of Courage in 2019 was still an uneasy title to carry. I became quite literally the poster girl of survivorship on a disease everyone hates. Last fall, I was nominated among other women to be in the first class of Pink Pearls and Heels fundraising campaign for the American Cancer Society here in Laredo. Also, an uncomfortable place to be. I considered declining.

I considered my circumstances: I did benefit from technology and general medicine to be here today writing this column. The easy way out is to decline politely and keep my story to myself, but I owe it to those known and unknown medical professionals who developed what I needed to survive. I am forever appreciative for my OB/GYN, Dr. Rodolfo Lozano, who took all the time I needed when he delivered the bad news. Every appointment thereafter was a beacon in the night for me, and for his diligent skills in the operating room. I owe it to the hospital staff of Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in McAllen that came in every four hours to check my blood count and to care for needs while I was in painful recovery. They did so with accuracy, kindness, and compassion; this experience could have been far worse. Above all, I am most appreciative to God. I accepted the nomination, and I was able to raise just over $1,700 surpassing my $1000 goal. Mi granito de arena.

Last football season, the Toros wore a periwinkle ribbon decal on their helmets representing Marco's battle. In the end, when Stevie was asked why he decided to attend Relay for Life knowing it would be difficult, he answered, "Because I went for you… And I know I am not the only one going through this."

Altruism at its best.

Stevie added, "Life is not fair, and some people face big battles, even children."

I couldn't agree with him more. It is safe to say I’ll be at Relay for Life for the foreseeable future.

Stevie played the best season of his life and was named Offensive Lineman of the Year for District 13-5A Division I, KGNS All-Area Offense Team and LMT All-City honoree with these superlatives trailing his name. We can say he fought just as hard as his father and for his father. Going forward into the work force, following his father's footsteps as a welder in oilfield service.

"I can honor my dad every day of my life," Stevie said.