Old National Presents: Cliz's battle
In many ways, Larry Clisby has never been more alive.
By now, many of you know the Hall of Fame Purdue men's basketball announcer was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. It's a difficult road ahead for "The Cliz," who's spent 41 years doing Boilermaker basketball on the radio.
But if you know Larry as I have for nearly all that time, you also know that he is a guy who's deeply philosophical, and it is that measured way of looking at things that will serve him well in this difficult time.
"So far, I have learned two things out of all this," Clisby said Tuesday from his Florida home. "No. 1, I realized that the career choice I made to do the things that I wanted to do was a good choice. And I always wondered about that because I am not doing things to save or influence lives at the level of things that so many people in this country do. I have been very blessed to do what I want to do and to see that after this, it gives me a really good feeling about what I did.
"Secondly, it is a humbling reminder of the incredibly wonderful fan base we have at Purdue. When you do what we do for a living, you are in touch with people every day even if you don't actually see the vast majority of them."
The cancer manifested itself in an acute episode of slurred speech more than a month ago. His fiancée, Michelle Mason, a computer software engineer he met a couple years ago, rushed him to the emergency room, thinking Clisby was having a stroke. But it turned out to be much worse. The speech difficulties were caused by several small tumors on his brain.
After an early round of chemotherapy, his speech improved, giving him hope that he will be in his broadcast position when the Boilermakers open the 2018-19 season on Nov. 1.
"That’s the goal," Clisby said. "My (broadcast) partner, Rob Blackman, and I were talking and he said that’s a goal that we should have. But I don’t know, there’s a lot of things between now and then."
That's Clisby the optimist and Clisby the realist in the same sentence.
But a tremendous outpouring of emotion from fans and friends has buoyed Clisby's hope. There's been support from former players, national basketball figures like Jay Bilas, and an emotional 30-minute interview on Indianapolis' Dan Dakich Show, during which Purdue president Mitch Daniels called in to not only wish Clisby well, but tell the world what Clisby's work has meant to him. It brought Clisby to tears.
I don't think Clisby had any idea he, and his work, have meant so much to so many people. That's the beauty of working in an intimate medium like radio. For years Clisby has given voice to the emotions of the ups and downs of Purdue basketball. At times, he's taken losing hard, and expressed it on air, that emotion playing a role in him losing his lead announcer role in football after the dismal 1993 season.
But he has also been loyal, extremely loyal to Purdue. And those around Purdue are paying him back in this difficult time.
"I have heard from so many people that I don't know personally, but know me from my work on the radio," Clisby said. "It has blown me away."
What has also blown him away has been is Clisby's GoFundMe page, which has now raised north of $55,000, and he will need all of those resources to undergo some of the experimental treatments that aren't covered by Medicare. Mason's best friend, Shawna Lucas, helped organize a social media groundswell and it has paid dividends in areas more than financial.
"Michelle has been my rock through all of this, and she hasn't give me a free pass," Clisby said of the daily to-do lists that his bride-to-be gives him. Clisby worried about "appearing greedy" when setting up the GoFundMe page, and has been floored by the support, which has included a $10,000 gift from Matt Painter, and substantial donations from the Purdue Board of Trustees and current and former athletics directors Mike Bobinski and Morgan Burke, respectively, as well as a hefty donation from Robbie Hummel, among several other former Boilermakers.
Several current players' families have chipped in, from Ryan Cline's parents, to Nojel Eastern's mother and Sasha Stefanovic's father.
"I am indebted for the rest of my life to everyone who has participated," Clisby said. "But I am also indebted to the people that may not have donated, but have reached out and lent their support."
The success of the page has paid dividends beyond the sheer dollar amount. The National Cancer Research Foundation has reached out to Clisby and opened its resources due in part to the of the success of the fundraising.
"Their research teams are going to get a look at my records and something good could really come out of it," Clisby said. "We’ve gone to a wellness center and we have an appointment with a lung specialist after we are back in town for the Alumni game."
Yes, Clisby will take a hiatus from his chemotherapy trip to spend 10 days in Lafayette, with the front end of the trip being the alumni reunion and game Aug. 3-4. Then it will be back to the chemo in hopes of beating back one of cancer's most challenging forms.
"We don’t know what we’re fighting for or against but we’ve been looking at a lot of things," Clisby said. "I want to stay alive and I want to do ball games. I hope to live out my contract which will take me to age 75. But if I don’t, I have no regrets.
"I’m 71 years old. I’ve lived a great life, most of my life has been spent in the greatest community in the world in the Lafayette area. I was just telling Michelle it's like being alive for my own funeral and in that respect, it's been great."
Clisby knows not everyone gets that chance. His gracious attitude and way of looking at things has a chance to not only sustain him, but help him do what he wants to do for all the days he has left.
And what's that? To continue to make a difference, to continue to contribute. And if the past week is any indication, he is well on his way to accomplishing just that.
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