Jacob Medina battles back from leukemia
April 25, 2019 by Jose Solis, Arizona State University
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Jacob Medina is the kind of individual who doesn't take no for an answer. From playing baseball to battling leukemia, Medina's unwavering drive this spring has epitomized his character.
A pitcher for Perry High School his first three seasons, the senior was working on his mechanics when in early March, Jacob's parents began noticing their son was visibly weaker despite Jacob's persistence in trying to brush it off. The Medinas' hunch was right. On the night of March 17, Jacob was driven to Phoenix Children's Hospital where he was informed he had B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
"I was just scared at first," said CJ Valdez, Jacob's cousin and shortstop for Perry. "I didn't believe it."
Neither could Jacob's teammate, second baseman Dustin Crenshaw, who knows cancer all too well. "[It] has kind of affected my life, not personally but -- surrounding me, my friends, family members," Crenshaw said. "So it was a pretty sad moment."
Refusing to let cancer beat him, Jacob turned it around by asking the doctor when he could play baseball again. But what took his parents by surprise was when he asked what he could do to help others like him.
"We were still in the hospital and right away, before he even talked about getting better he [said], 'Dad, I really want to help somebody else,'" Jacob's father, Mike, said.
"I'm like, 'That's awesome you're thinking like that; let's get you better first. It's hard for you to help somebody without being able to take care of yourself.'"
Leukemia made Jacob push himself further. While he has been limited, he has faced each day with a smile and a sterling attitude that has helped his mother, Krystal.
"There's been times where I want to be emotional; I want to cry," Krystal said. "I think about things, and I get upset, and then I look at him, and I see how well he handles things and think to myself, 'He's the one going through this.'"
Others know that's just Jacob.
"He never really let things bring him down," said Tyler Valdez, another cousin of Jacob. “He always just said, 'Whatever,' and he'll get through it."
"He's strong either way even if [his family] didn't show up or whatever. He knows he'll get through it."
Jacob's positivity not only rubbed off on his parents but the entire Perry High School community. Within 48 hours of Jacob's diagnosis, support came in the form of multiple GoFundMe accounts in addition to orange wristbands and t-shirts created by Jacob's uncle, Conrad Valdez.
"I'm very thankful for our community and our baseball families and our regular families and friends," Krystal said. "I don't know how I'm going to repay any of these people."
"If we were to do something like this, I don't know if we could even think of anything some of the stuff that people have done," Mike said. "It's just been overwhelming and awesome at the same time."
Horizon and Chandler High Schools have worn orange throughout the spring season in a sign of unison for Jacob. A recent breakfast at Jacob's grandmother's house attracted teammates, classmates, firefighters and police officers.
Jacob has also taken solace in some of his fellow baseball players such as Horizon infielder Collin Demas, who survived leukemia and now is nine months into remission. Additionally, Taylor Kaczmarek, another leukemia survivor and former MLB player, met with Jacob to talk about his experience with the disease. Even Arizona Diamondbacks star David Peralta pitched in with a personal video and an autographed baseball bat.
"It was really inspiring to me that I know so many of these people now that have been through what I've been through so I don't really feel alone or at loss for words not really knowing what to say because I have people to go to..."
Jacob was also surprised to learn that Arizona College Preparatory's softball team dedicated senior night to him, wearing orange-themed gear with a #JacobStrong poster in the outfield.
Jacob hoped to at least meet the ACP players to say thank you. Now, he'll get that chance.
Thirty-three days after being diagnosed with leukemia, Jacob announced on social media he was in remission on April 19, Good Friday.
"They told my parents that my MRD (Minimal Residual Disease) was negative for leukemia cells and it read 0.00," Jacob said by phone on Tuesday. "So, I have no leukemia cells at all anymore in my body."
The response was as quick as it was when his diagnosis went public. Messages flooded Jacob's Twitter feed with blessings and congratulations. But as Jacob promised that fateful night at Phoenix Children's Hospital, he is now focused on helping others with leukemia.
"[H]e's started a journal, every single day, he writes down what he's eaten, what he's feeling from start to finish," Mike said. "At the end of his journey, he's going to be able to give this book to somebody to read and say, 'Hey, this is my story, this is what I went through... this is who I've become through the process.'"
However, Jacob won't be leaving the bullpen yet; he'll have to wait an additional 8-9 months before returning to pitching. To keep his leukemia suppressed, Jacob must continue treatment for the next three and a half years.
"Anything you want to, anything you're willing to do and put the work towards, you're going to get the results," Jacob said. "I still am vowing to do everything in my power in order to get back on the field in order to play college baseball where I want to play."
It will take time but Jacob Medina is destined to begin anew his baseball career in 2019. After the most turbulent time of his life, he hopes he can prove determination pitches a no-hitter every time.