You never really think about words that would devastate you. Spoken words that would rock your world and leave you numb. You think maybe something bad will happen when you get older, much older. Never do you think that at 23 years of age, in the prime of hope, life and love would you be told you have cancer. This is not just any cancer, but angiosarcoma. A cancer of the blood vessels that only has affected 10 or less people in the United States last year.
This is what happened to my friend, colleague and fellow sportsmen Michael Schwarz. Michael worked and ministered with me at Central Baptist Church in Sanford, Florida. We found a mutual friendship in sharing and loving Christ, playing softball and enjoying God’s Great Outdoors together.
Michael and I began to hunt during our time off. He assisted me in doing many Sportsmen For Christ hunting retreats as a guide. During our down time from both ministries and families we were in the woods of Volusia County, Florida. There we pursued Cypress swamp wild hogs, pineywood whitetails, dodged hidden rattlesnakes in palmettos and watched the wiley Osceola turkey meander across the open flatlands. It was a great place to experience the outdoors. This place allowed Michael to harvest his first 200+lb wild hog and trophy Osceola turkey. However, over my three years in Florida, we just could never connect with a Whitetail. It seemed like an impossible task to put both deer and Michael together.
In the winter of 2005, God had plans and moved my family to Tennessee. That next year, our dear friend and landowner, Robert Hirt, passed away from his own personal fight with cancer. It was devastation for both Michael and I in the loss of Robert. We both let go of hunting for that year. With the move and the loss of Robert, it just did not seem right.
Michael and I kept in contact and when I found out that he had an illness concern we were not too alarmed. He’s strong, young and of good health. Then the news came. CANCER! A rare and deadly cancer. It quickly took its toll on him. Repeat treatments, change in treatments, loss of weight, low iron,high potassium, multiple hospital stays, loss of hair and financial burden. Life quickly changed and dreams were dampened.
In between one break in treatments Michael came to Tennessee to visit his family. His parents were now working with me in ministry. They thought it would be a great break to come and just get away. I sat in their living room with him one night, just the two of us. We chatted about meaningless stuff until he asked me one question, “Do you think we can get me a deer….before….?” I immediately said, “Yes” not wanting him to finish the sentence. The feelings of loss over came me. My friend was talking about death. I had to my part to see his dream fulfilled. “Yes, we can get you a deer and this season we will try”.
Michael headed home and finished this series of treatments. Michael was running a life-race. The cancer was taking a toll on his body. My friend had lost over 50 lbs. He was pale, weak and tired. I remembered…that I promised to do my part. So plans were made. Our dates were set for the last two days of muzzle loading season and the beginning of gun season in Alabama. There, we would be in a stand hunting with a dear brother in Christ, Emory Steedly, on his wife and brother’s, L.C. and Kaye Steedly’s, famous ranch. It was a place for hopes and dreams to come true. On the second night of our muzzle-loading hunt, it was still, cool and quiet. Michael was placed in a box blind overlooking a small green field that meandered back into a hardwood swamp. We both knew he had one shot – one chance this night. I left him there and headed up the hill to a small field overlooking the bottom area. I knew if he shot I would definitely hear him from that vantage point. It was about 30 minutes; just good enough to get settled in when the quiet was broken with a “BOOM” from the bottoms. It was Michael. I bolted from my stand back down the hill to the entry road to his location. As I quietly walked towards his stand, there he was standing – waiting for me. He confirmed he had hit it but lost it in the muzzle smoke. As we walked to the spot, we saw great dig marks in the mud and dark blood on the grass. It was an easy trial 30 yards deep into the hardwoods. Just a couple steps further and there she laid…a great doe with a perfect heart shot from 50 yards. Michael and I hugged, cried and celebrated. Finally, his first deer. It was a great feeling for both of us pulling his deer out of the woods.
Michael continues with his personal fight against his cancer. We are there cheering him on and know that God is in control. He hears our prayers, knows our hearts and desires our worship in good and bad times. Please continue to pray for his recovery and God’s will for him. Thank you Lord for hope, determination and opportunity.
This is what happened to my friend, colleague and fellow sportsmen Michael Schwarz. Michael worked and ministered with me at Central Baptist Church in Sanford, Florida. We found a mutual friendship in sharing and loving Christ, playing softball and enjoying God’s Great Outdoors together.
Michael and I began to hunt during our time off. He assisted me in doing many Sportsmen For Christ hunting retreats as a guide. During our down time from both ministries and families we were in the woods of Volusia County, Florida. There we pursued Cypress swamp wild hogs, pineywood whitetails, dodged hidden rattlesnakes in palmettos and watched the wiley Osceola turkey meander across the open flatlands. It was a great place to experience the outdoors. This place allowed Michael to harvest his first 200+lb wild hog and trophy Osceola turkey. However, over my three years in Florida, we just could never connect with a Whitetail. It seemed like an impossible task to put both deer and Michael together.
In the winter of 2005, God had plans and moved my family to Tennessee. That next year, our dear friend and landowner, Robert Hirt, passed away from his own personal fight with cancer. It was devastation for both Michael and I in the loss of Robert. We both let go of hunting for that year. With the move and the loss of Robert, it just did not seem right.
Michael and I kept in contact and when I found out that he had an illness concern we were not too alarmed. He’s strong, young and of good health. Then the news came. CANCER! A rare and deadly cancer. It quickly took its toll on him. Repeat treatments, change in treatments, loss of weight, low iron,high potassium, multiple hospital stays, loss of hair and financial burden. Life quickly changed and dreams were dampened.
In between one break in treatments Michael came to Tennessee to visit his family. His parents were now working with me in ministry. They thought it would be a great break to come and just get away. I sat in their living room with him one night, just the two of us. We chatted about meaningless stuff until he asked me one question, “Do you think we can get me a deer….before….?” I immediately said, “Yes” not wanting him to finish the sentence. The feelings of loss over came me. My friend was talking about death. I had to my part to see his dream fulfilled. “Yes, we can get you a deer and this season we will try”.
Michael headed home and finished this series of treatments. Michael was running a life-race. The cancer was taking a toll on his body. My friend had lost over 50 lbs. He was pale, weak and tired. I remembered…that I promised to do my part. So plans were made. Our dates were set for the last two days of muzzle loading season and the beginning of gun season in Alabama. There, we would be in a stand hunting with a dear brother in Christ, Emory Steedly, on his wife and brother’s, L.C. and Kaye Steedly’s, famous ranch. It was a place for hopes and dreams to come true. On the second night of our muzzle-loading hunt, it was still, cool and quiet. Michael was placed in a box blind overlooking a small green field that meandered back into a hardwood swamp. We both knew he had one shot – one chance this night. I left him there and headed up the hill to a small field overlooking the bottom area. I knew if he shot I would definitely hear him from that vantage point. It was about 30 minutes; just good enough to get settled in when the quiet was broken with a “BOOM” from the bottoms. It was Michael. I bolted from my stand back down the hill to the entry road to his location. As I quietly walked towards his stand, there he was standing – waiting for me. He confirmed he had hit it but lost it in the muzzle smoke. As we walked to the spot, we saw great dig marks in the mud and dark blood on the grass. It was an easy trial 30 yards deep into the hardwoods. Just a couple steps further and there she laid…a great doe with a perfect heart shot from 50 yards. Michael and I hugged, cried and celebrated. Finally, his first deer. It was a great feeling for both of us pulling his deer out of the woods.
Michael continues with his personal fight against his cancer. We are there cheering him on and know that God is in control. He hears our prayers, knows our hearts and desires our worship in good and bad times. Please continue to pray for his recovery and God’s will for him. Thank you Lord for hope, determination and opportunity.
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