High school athlete unknowingly played football season with cancer

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    MARTENSDALE, Iowa (KCCI) — A star athlete at Martensdale-St. Marys High School played the entire football season unaware that cancer was taking over his body.

Brooks Trom scored touchdown after touchdown, before the reality of his situation was known.

“I was speechless because I have always been a really healthy kid. I have never been in the hospital before,” Trom said.

KCCI’s Laura Terrell spoke with him through video chat as he lay in his hospital bed.

“I played the entire football season and I knew my body wasn’t right. Something was just off about it,” the 18-year-old said. “Like my body wasn’t recovering or healing.”

A sore throat turned into a positive test for mono. That’s how doctors noticed low blood levels and diagnosed Trom with leukemia.

“I definitely tried to stay as positive as possible,” Trom said. “I just think that is the best way to get through it.”

The hardest part from him is not playing basketball. As a three-sport athlete, he never takes a break.

“He is our comedy relief in practices,” said Joe Franey, the basketball coach. “That’s the part we really miss, because he provided the humor.”

Franey has been coaching Brooks and his team since they were in second grade. The tight-knit group is almost like brothers. They knew they had to do something.

“We organized with his parents that we would come up and they would bring him down to the main doors, and we would all stand there and wave,” Franey said.

Not just the team, but half the town surprised Brooks outside Blank Children’s Hospital.

“It’s just unreal. I don’t even know how to describe it. I am just kind of speechless,” Trom said. “I have been buddies with these guys since I was in preschool. We have played every sport together. They’re basically my family. When I saw them there I could tell they were very emotional too.”

But the support didn’t end there. This week, one by one, each teammate buzzed his hair before Brooks loses his own.

“We wanted to show support that he wasn’t in the fight alone,” Franey said.

Right now, Trom has an infection and will remain in the hospital for several weeks.

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