EMPORIA (KSNT)- Emporia State offensive lineman Miles Wade is hard working and hard hitting. He's a fun-loving leader for Hornet Football. But all that nearly changed when Wade felt a pain in his stomach last spring.
The stomach ache ended up being much more serious than that, leaving Wade shocked, and scared.
The six-foot-three 300-pound redshirt junior had his world rocked when a surgeon told him there was a chance cancer was spreading throughout his body.
The stomach pain that originally put Wade in the doctors office proved to be appendicitis. After the removal of his appendix, doctors found out the reason for the appendicitis was a tumor. That tumor- doctors said- could be cancerous.
"It was world wrecking. Extremely shocked, obviously scared, nervous," said Wade.
This new finding called for a second surgery, immediately upon recovering from the first, for the removal of the potentially cancerous tumor.
"It was a dark time for me, to be honest," said Wade.
Two days after a successful removal of the tumor, Wade got a call from the doctors with the results from their tests. The phone call delivered some of the best news he's ever heard. Wade's tumor was cancer free.
"Me and my dad and my mom were in a hotel jumping up and down…hugging. It was just pure joy," said Wade.
The eye opening experience changed the way he see's the game of football.
"I'm just overjoyed to be able to do what I love to do and be in this position once again because there was a time when I didn't know if I would ever get to come back on that field. It's just like I don't take anything for granted at this point," said Wade.
His coaches say the way he handled this situation was with a positive attitude, which didn't surprise them. It tells you a lot about who Miles Wade is as a man.
"When I think of Miles Wade I think of character. And honestly he handled it unebelievably well," said offensive coordinator Vincent Cashdollar.
"We call them our three core bricks. Trust and accountability, family over everything and attitude. And that's what he exemplifies," said head coach Garin Higgins.
Coach Higgins and Cashdollar also said they're proud of Miles for completing all his school work despite his unforeseen circumstances.
When Wade gets back on the field for a game this fall, it'll be his first one since 2019. How excited is he?
"Somebody's going to be in trouble if they line up against me, that's all I'm going to say," said Wade.
