Our Founder, Our Warrior, Geoff Pastrick
"In the end, I hope to be a positive light for people going through this, or anything else, that may not have the unbelievable support staff I have fighting with me on my side. "
Geoff Pastrick, February 10, 2019
9 days after his cancer diagnosis
When Coach P, as he was affectionately called by his players, wasn’t fishing for bass, watching college football, spoiling his dog, or spending time outside in the sun with his family whether at home, at the lake, or any ball field - especially Wrigley Field in Chicago—you could find him at his training facility teaching young players how to be great men on and off the field. He was a fierce competitor with a warrior attitude in everything he did. So, it was no surprise when he received his cancer diagnosis, he was full steam ahead with a fighter mentality.
In February 2019, Geoff was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma, an aggressive blood cancer. As he and his family sat in that hospital room, they were told that if he did not start treatment immediately, he would not have lived another three weeks. Geoff and his family prepared themselves for the battle ahead. Their rule was POSITIVE VIBES ONLY with their family motto
quickly becoming YOU GOT THIS!
Geoff spent the first 3 weeks of his battle on the 4th floor BMT unit of Northside Hospital in Atlanta Georgia. His wife, mom, dad, or sister was always at his side. His initial response to treatment was positive and he continued to fight for the next six months, enduring intense chemotherapy every 3-4 weeks with every other round being inpatient. Never giving up, he was a true warrior and faced multiple complications but overcame each and every one. He took the fight with cancer on like a true super hero!
Because his treatment was so intense, he was unable to continue training offensive lineman at his training facility, Prime Athlete Development, the first offensive line-only training facility on the east coast. Restrictions due to his illness meant that he could only leave his house to go to and from the clinic or hospital and he had to have a caregiver 24/7. His family made trips from Austin to Atlanta, setting up a rotation, so that his wife, Heather, was able to continue working.
From the very beginning of his diagnosis, Geoff, Heather and his sister, Stephanie, would talk for hours about turning this storm into something positive. They felt they had been given this mountain to serve a bigger purpose and they were determined to give back to others once their storm was over. They decided they would start a non-profit where they would focus on bringing joy and happiness to cancer patients.
Geoff and his family received the good news of remission in August 2019 and shortly after, in September 2019, Primed 2 Fight Foundation was founded by Geoff, his wife Heather, his sister Stephanie, and his brother-in-law Bryan.
Little did the family know that another storm was brewing ahead. In November 2019, Geoff’s cancer returned and he began treatment once again. But the family pushed forward, continuing to serve other cancer warriors through Primed 2 Fight, even while battling their own storm. The next seven months would prove to be the biggest challenge of their lives. With his warrior attitude and “losing is not an option” mentality, Geoff endured a 16-month battle with cancer, undergoing intense chemotherapy, multiple complications, radiation, a stem cell transplant, and experimental treatment for platelet recovery. Even when the doctors told him there was nothing else they could do, Geoff never gave up and fought until the very end.
Primed 2 Fight Foundation is Geoff’s legacy. He was so passionate about helping others and giving back, even discussing plans for Primed 2 Fight a few days before he passed away. His family and friends will now carry on that legacy on his behalf. He will never be forgotten and will continue to be an inspiration.
