Hope for Holcomb

Kingwood community rallies around soccer coach diagnosed with cancer

VYPE Staff
Jan 15, 2020, 8:39 pm
VYPE

Originally Appeared on VYPE

KINGWOOD - The true impact of a coach can't always measured by the number of win and losses, the number of district championships or even runs at a state title.

This story goes beyond any of that.

In reality, the impact a coach is seen whenever they become the one that is in need of the support that they have been providing to others their entire career.

Kingwood girls soccer coach Pres Holcomb, who is set to begin chemotherapy to battle Stage 4 colon cancer, which he was diagnosed with on December 20, is seeing his impact as the Kingwood and soccer community has rallied around him and his family with messages, wristbands, t-shirts, donations and more.

"It's overwhelming in a good way," Holcomb said. "It's kind of crazy when you see your own name across stuff like that. Once we went public with it, the support has been amazing. People you haven't talked to in years are reaching out to you."

Since they've gone public with it the "Hope for Holcomb" campaign has taken off.

The soccer team - which was told about Holcomb's battle in a group setting - created blue wristbands with the phrase on them. It started with the girls wearing them during matches and expanded to them being sold at different places in the community.

They started by ordering just 300.

Then an order of 500 more was needed and that still wasn't enough. The wristbands have sold more than 1,000.

"You don't even think you know that many people," Holcomb said.

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Overcoming Impossible Odds - A Story of Perseverance

Photo courtesy of Stratford Booster Club

Originally Appeared on VYPE

Almost dying multiple times within a few days is not a common problem for the average sixteen year old, but, if you know anything about Adrian Storey, you know that was the norm for a time in his life.

August 28th, 2018 started out as a normal Tuesday, as it would for any teenager. Storey was in his baseball class period, running sprints with his teammates. And then his life changed forever.

"Out of nowhere, I saw this blinding, white light," said Storey. "I had collapsed, but I didn't know it. It was like falling asleep."

That was his description of one of the most dramatic and heart-stopping events (literally and figuratively) that would happen in the 2018-2019 school year. He had collapsed, blacked out and started convulsing and seizing. Coach Keith Humphreys immediately took action, sending students for the AED and athletic trainers.

Junior Carson Dodds also recounts the experience.

"I just remember running and then seeing Adrian collapse," he said. "He started seizing on the ground and his face went completely purple. That's when Coach Humphreys checked his breathing and started CPR. It was a really scary experience."

There were no pre-existing conditions. No signs that could've prepared everyone for what was happening. Out of nowhere, he was down.

Athletic trainers Melissa Quigley and Marrianne Landon acted quickly and efficiently, enacting the emergency action plan.

"Landon was the first to get out there," said head trainer Melissa Quigley. "She brought the AED, attached it to [Storey] and, at that point, he regained consciousness."

"I woke up and my vision was blurry, and then I felt the AED on my chest," said Storey. "I was super confused. But, after my vision cleared, I was able to stand up, walk onto the stretcher and wait for the ambulance in the training room. It was almost like nothing had happened. I felt completely fine."

From the ambulance, he was taken to Memorial Hermann hospital, where doctors performed tests. After a few hours, they released him, citing dehydration as the issue. He was given strict restrictions: no practicing for at least three weeks. The next morning, Storey hardly noticed the nervous chatter about his accident from the sophomore class.


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