Blue Devil assistant participates in Olympic torch run
Survivor... UW-Stout men's hoops assistant Eric Gardow
defeats cancer, helps another man overcome the disease
By Paul J. Cruz, Dunn County News Sports Reporter
MENOMONIE - Although Eric Gardow and Garrett Stine received the same piece of medical news in different decades, their immediate emotions mirror one another: each felt a fear that words cannot effectively describe.
Gardow, in 1990, and Stine, in 2000, were both diagnosed with testicular cancer, the most common form of cancer among men ages 19-45, and both searched for strong souls to carry them through the unfathomable trials they would subsequently endure en route to successfully defeating the disease.
For Gardow those souls were, initially, himself, and, later, his wife Brooke Shaw-Gardow.
For Stine, they were, initially, his father, who had himself battled through a bout with testicular cancer, and, later, Gardow.
Together, their stories produce drama that could reduce even the toughest of souls to tears.
Chemotherapy. A glorious return to athletics. A marriage. The beginning of a life-long friendship. An Olympic experience. Enough electricity to send goosebumps through any body.
"You don't have many thoughts," said Gardow, now in his second year as a UW-Stout assistant men's basketball coach, on being diagnosed with cancer. "You're mostly just shocked and scared -- afraid of the unknown, I guess.
"I went from being 20 years old, healthy and playing basketball to not knowing when I was going to die."
A tough pill for a confident, athletic young man to swallow during a period in life when many individuals consider themselves invincible.
Gardow had already exhibited his strength and valor on the basketball court.
Before he graduated from Eau Claire North in 1986, Gardow led the Huskies to an appearance in the WIAA state tournament and shattered three glass backboards, including one at the Menomonie High School gym during a Big Rivers Conference title game.
And he had proven he could play with the NCAA Division III big boys, as a member of the 1986-87 UW-Stevens Point squad and the 1988-89 UW-Eau Claire contingent.
Now, he needed to use those attributes to counter cancer in the arena of life.
But it wasn't as easy a task for Gardow as looking smooth on the hardwood.
During his first round with cancer, for which each was given a 50 percent chance of victory, Gardow had one testicle removed and received extensive chemotherapy.
Gardow pulled ahead on the scoreboard, as the cancer went into remission.
But the resilient opponent cancer often is, it returned 18 months later.
This time, cancer had a 90 percent chance of winning.
Gardow, however, a fierce competitor in basketball, stepped up to the competition.
He sacrificed his last testicle, underwent additional chemotherapy, went through a lymph-node disection and still more chemotherapy.
Gardow's received his final treatment in 1994, but did not obtain a clean bill of health until 1998.
During that time, as he did during the lowest times during his long battle with cancer, dreamed a lot about basketball.
"It was my release," Gardow said. "I remembered the good times in high school and thought about how I'd give anything to play again.
"I didn't think much about the future, because I didn't think there was one. I tried not to let things bother me, but I kept a lot of things inside."
Despite his constant dreams, Gardow didn't truly believe he could realize them because, although he had defeated it, the long bout with cancer had managed to discourage the once fearless basketball warrior.
Enter Brooke Shaw.
Shaw, who had known Gardow since his days at Eau Claire North, was quite an athlete herself, having played in an NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Final Four in Eau Claire as a member of the 1993-94 Blugold squad skippered by Lisa Stone.
Although Shaw and UW-EC settled for third after falling to Washington (Mo.) University in the semifinals, the former still knew the definition of success -- and she dedicated herself to helping Gardow to succeed, for his personal well-being.
After Shaw and Gardow started dating in 1998, Gardow returned to UW-EC to complete his degree in special education.
Since Gardow still had two years of collegiate athletic eligibility, Blugold men's hoops coach Terry Gibbons encouraged the former Husky standout to use them up.
Gardow was extremely out of shape . . . but he loved basketball.
So, with much help from Shaw, Gardow adjusted his diet and developed a strength and conditioning routine.
Much easier than fighting cancer. And much easier with a companion.
Gardow returned to competitive basketball during the 1998-99 season and embarked on a two-year athletic journey usually reserved for dreams.
"Words cannot explain how it was to take the court again after all the work and pain," Gardow said. "To have something that good that meant so much to me come back is hard for me to describe."
Gardow and Shaw tied the knot on Nov. 26, 1999, then Eric equalled his wife's accomplishment of playing in a Final Four.
In 1999-2000, Gardow and the Blugolds enjoyed a fantastic ride that did not end until the Division III championship game, where they fell 79-74 to Calvin College.
"To finish my career in the championship game was the culmination of everything I'd worked for since 1988 and everything I'd dreamed about when I thought I was dying," Gardow said.
Gardow's dream game, however, came two games before facing Calvin.
In UW-EC's 60-58 defeat of WIAC rival UW-Stevens Point in the Elite Eight, Gardow played a key role in one of the biggest plays in Blugold men's basketball history.
After helping the Blugolds erase a 17-point second-half deficit by shutting down the Pointers' All-America post player Brandt Bailey, Gardow drained a shot to put UW-EC up by one late in the game.
Point took the lead with 2.4 seconds to go, then came the history-making sequence.
Gardow took a full-court inbounds pass, then dished the rock to Sherm Carstensen, who released the game-winning 3-pointer just before time elapsed.
Following graduation, Gardow accepted his current job at UW-Stout.
Toward the end of his first season with the Blue Devils, Gardow was introduced to Stine, at the time a senior at Merrill High School.
He visited the Stine's residence in January of 2001 and counseled Garrett over the phone frequently thereafter.
"It was the right thing to do," Gardow said. "I wanted to be there for whatever he needed me to do."
Stine received his final treatment around Thanksgiving of 2001 and, although he still needs to go in every three months for checkups (as Gardow does yearly), he will be eternally grateful to Gardow.
"He helped me a lot," Stine said. "He knew what I was going through. He knew how I was feeling and what to say. That was bigger than anything else."
Stine decided to give Gardow a big thanks. He nominated the former to be an honorary Olympic torchbearer for the flame's trip through Kenosha on Jan. 5.
"I didn't expect it," Gardow said. "Him doing that for me makes me think I still owe him. I'll continue to be there for him if he needs me and to just be his friend."
Prior to bearing the torch, the 15 runners boarded a bus that took them to downtown Kenosha and, for 45 minutes, they took turns sharing their stories.
"Wow," Gardow said. "That was a tear-jerker. All of them were emotional and inspirational."
Gardow was the first runner off the bus for his one-quarter mile leg.
Helicopters over his head. Support runners on either side. People screaming and clapping.
"It was amazing," Gardow said. "It was like I was a superhero or something. My whole body just got warm.
"It was so positive and electric. Thinking of cancer didn't enter my mind. The Olympics are not just about the U.S. or about athletics. They're about the whole world and life. To be a part of life and so many things was the most gratifying feeling."
Gardow returned to Menomonie Saturday evening a little late for the Blue Devils WIAC 73-68 overtime loss to WIAC foe UW-0shkosh, a game for which Garrett served as an honorary captain for Stout.
Gardow and Stine, if everything goes right, have put cancer behind them and have bright futures in front of them.
Stine is furthering his schooling Western Michigan.
Gardow, who is residing in Eau Claire with Brooke and their son, EJ, is enjoying his position on the Blue Devils' staff.
"UW-Stout and the people of Menomonie have been just great to me and my family since I've been here," Gardow said.
And, next month, using Eric's sperm that has been frozen since 1990, Brooke will become pregnant through invitro fertilization.
Gardow and Stine have different life stories, but their one common thread has fostered a similar feeling toward one another: life-long respect.
It's justified in both cases.
