HAMILTON, Ohio — Ross High School wrestling coach Rich Dunn feels blessed this Christmas season as he perseveres through a battle with cancer.
Although it's been seven months since he's been diagnosed, Dunn has reasons to smile each day.
“When I got the first notice I didn’t do the angry, I didn’t do the crying,” Dunn said. “I just said, ‘OK, God has put me in a lot of different spots — some really good spots. And I’ve had some rough spots before. But hey, I’m just trusting that he’s going to get me through this.'”
The 61-year-old was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in May after he experienced significant back pain starting in January. Multiple myeloma is a rare blood cancer that has no known cure.
Doctors told Dunn the cancer was Stage 4 this past spring. But, they also told him not to look at the Internet about the topic. Besides radiation and chemotherapy, medical drug treatments were available for his diagnosis.
“I’m blessed to be in a time with modern and great doctors and great procedures because 20 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have lasted the summer,” Dunn said.
The severe physical burden took its toll on the longtime Ross wrestling coach and math teacher earlier this year.
Dunn couldn’t stand or sit at times during the first few months. He fell down in intense pain at 5 o’clock in the morning. All he could do was wait for the pain to subside.
One of the lesions affected his sciatic nerve which caused pain from his knee and then his leg.
An overwhelming amount of calcium in his blood created symptoms similar to a stroke which put him in the hospital for a weekend.
Despite the heavy burden, Dunn’s faith increased.
“God was through it the whole time,” Dunn said. “It gave me an opportunity to sit there and think about the big picture. And just know that, hey, I’ll get through this. This wasn’t something that was an accident. Through it, I’ve been blessed to meet other cancer survivors, cancer fighters.”
It's through his battle that the 34-year head coach has made an even greater impact on others through his courage and faith-filled example.
“I was like, ‘He’s such a good person, a good coach.' Why would God let that happen to somebody that’s a good teacher? He spreads the word of God around a lot; the best coach,” said Ross senior Audrey Garcia, a two-time state placer.
Before Dunn received a bone marrow transplant in September, the Ross and Greater Cincinnati wrestling community showed an outpouring of support through a golf scramble at Pebble Creek Golf Course in late August.
Dunn couldn't believe his eyes when he saw how many cars were in the parking lot. There were hundreds of hole sponsors.
Dunn was overwhelmed by the love.
“Very humbling to know I affected all those people,” Dunn said. “I just wanted to show them how much I appreciated them. It was very special.”
About $40,000 was raised for Dunn’s family for medical expenses.
“I’ll use that towards my future treatments,” Dunn said. “Who knows where I will be with multiple myeloma. The doctors are very upfront. This is not a curable cancer. I’ll always have the tendency for that to come back. But, with the drugs that I’ll be receiving, the treatments that I have, it can push off for many years.”
Doctors like where Dunn is at as a patient this fall. Dunn is coaching on the mat during the week at practice and in competitions for the Rams.
He returned to the classroom earlier this month with a small class of 16 students. He will return to teaching full-time in January at the start of the next semester.
“I have always been a man of faith,” Dunn said. “Like anybody, your faith does have peaks and valleys. In some ways it’s been kind of stamp of approval that 'Hey Rich, you’ve been doing the right things.'"
Dunn showed the Ross wrestlers some techniques during a practice Wednesday afternoon. He hasn’t missed a beat wearing his familiar headgear during practice.
The teenagers admire his toughness and dedication to their well-being through the sport. That also includes his son, sophomore Caleb Dunn, who wrestles at 138 pounds.
“I’ve learned just because something sets you back — don’t let that ruin everything else,” Caleb Dunn said. “Don’t let one thing change everything about you.”
Rich Dunn is proud of how his eldest son has stepped up to help the family. Likewise, Caleb admires his father’s rock-solid perspective on life throughout this battle.
“I think it’s incredible,” Caleb Dunn said. “The way that he’s dealt with it. It’s almost like he wants to kill the cancer. He doesn’t want to let all the procedures to do it. He wants to do it himself.”