An Orlando City
fan shares a medical bond with Lions goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar, a cancer survivor.
Tim Myers didn’t buy Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar’s jersey for attention.
Once Stajduhar was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer last November, Myers was immediately in the young goalkeeper’s corner.
Myers, a 36-year-old member of The Ruckus, can be easily spotted wearing Stajduhar’s jersey in the sea of purple-clad fans of man the Wall.
Myers’ Stajduhar jersey is bright blue.
Myers, who in June of 2006 was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, wanted to show support for a player who was battling something he was alltoo familiar with.
He got to meet Stajduhar face-to-face for the first time two weeks ago, after Stajduhar announced he was finished with six months of cancer treatments. Stajduhar signed Myers’ jersey in front of the building at Sylvan Lake Park, and the two spent a few minutes talking and taking pictures.
“It was an honor and privilege because I know what he just went through,” Myers said.
“I did it myself 12 years ago. You need all the support and everything you can get.
“I just wanted him to know I didn’t do the jersey to get recognized. I did it to honor him and show him we’re all behind him here in Orlando.
“We’re here if he needs us. There are people who have gone through what he has. I was pretty much the same age as he is now — he’s 20, I was 24 when I was diagnosed.
“I know what it feels like to go through something like that at that age. I just did it to pay homage to him and show him Orlando loves him and we can’t wait to see him get on the field.”
On June 20, Stajduhar announced he his was officially done with his cancer treatments.
“Now I’m back to 100 percent football,” Stajduhar said. “That’s all I’m worried about now so I don’t have to go back up to Gainesville for treatments or anything.
“It’s been six or seven months without being able to play fully. I’m still waiting for my blood counts to recover, for my hemoglobin to come back. Once that comes back, I’ll feel that I’m fully fit and ready to play.
“Once that happens, I’ll get back on the field — on the game field, not just the training field.”
Stajduhar’s first practice with the club post-treatments was the Friday before Orlando City’s June 23 home match against the Montreal Impact.
“Everyone came up, gave me a hug when I got there,” Stajduhar said.
“Just congratulations and everyone smiling and happy for me.”
Stajduhar said going through cancer treatments has opened his eyes to the support of the Orlando City community. Myers said he’s been an Orlando City supporter since the club’s USL days.
“It’s really cool,” Stajduhar said about Myers wearing his jersey. “Obviously, I’m not a starter yet. For someone to get my jersey like that, I thought it was very cool.”
Myers said he always planned to buy a goalkeeper kit to wear to matches this season.
He posted it on Twitter once Stajduhar’s name was on it, and Orlando City’s official Twitter account noticed and responded with a message from Stajduhar.
“When the season came around and we knew [Stajduhar] was diagnosed, there was only one person going on the goalie kit,” Myers said.