Dream comes true for mom of RB High football player fighting cancer

Evan Blakeney climbed the steps to the top of Rancho Bernardo High’s football stadium Friday evening, hung a left and walked directly toward his mother, who was sitting in a wheelchair.

Hugging his mother, Evan, a Rancho Bernardo junior about to play his first varsity game, said, “This day finally came.”

Since January, Debbie Blakeney has been battling a rare cancer that began in her sinus cavity, then spread throughout her body. Two months ago, a hospice doctor told the family that Debbie had 12 to 36 hours to live.

“I didn’t think I was going to make it,” Debbie said to her son. “For me to be here today, it’s a miracle.”

Debbie spent the bulk of June hospitalized. The cancer had spread to her lungs, liver, kidneys and adrenal glands. Her hands turned gray. She refused water and was barely eating.

Not wanting to die in a hospital, she returned home.

“She was near comatose,” said her husband and Evan’s father, Tim Blakeney.

Thinking his mother was dying, the 5-foot-11, 300-pound Evan punched a hole in his bunk bed and another in a wall.

“I was probably completely lost in my mind,” Evan said earlier in the week. “I was having somewhat of a breakdown.”

But on July 1, Debbie’s health dramatically improved. The Blakeneys’ oldest son, Russell, had visited from Santa Barbara to see his mother and left his cat at the family’s Escondido home. The Blakeneys couldn’t find the cat’s food. From her hospital bed in the living room, Debbie said, “It’s in the garage.”

“She hadn’t spoken in two or three days,” said Tim.

One of Debbie’s friends visited that day, saw Debbie sitting up texting, and collapsed to her knees.

“She rebooted,” said Tim. “It’s almost like the cancer stormed the castle walls, but instead of continuing to attack, said, ‘OK, we’re going to camp out here.’ ”

Evan transferred from San Pasqual to Rancho Bernardo last January, just weeks before his mother’s cancer was diagnosed. He had attended middle school in the Poway district. Under California Interscholastic Federation rules, because the family didn’t move nor did Evan have a hardship, he was ineligible to play football until Oct. 5.

Not knowing how long Debbie had to live, Rancho Bernardo appealed to the CIF San Diego Section, requesting that Evan be allowed to play in the season opener and that his eligibility to play after that be pushed back to Oct. 12.

San Diego Section Commissioner Jerry Schniepp said he has denied all similar requests in the past. Those requests, he said, were usually based on out-of-town family members or a college recruiter having the chance to see an athlete play. Schniepp denied those requests but granted Rancho Bernardo’s.

“Sometimes,” Schniepp said, “you just have to do the right thing.”

Ironically, Evan’s new school, Rancho Bernardo, opened the 2015 season last night against his old school, San Pasqual.

Evan’s older brother, Tatum, was an all-league defensive end at San Pasqual last season. For years, Debbie and Tim were closely involved with the football program. Tim was an assistant freshman coach for three years. From freshman through varsity, Debbie worked the chain gang.

“That told you what her mentality was like, she wanted to be involved, right in the front row,” said San Pasqual head coach Tony Corley.

Three years ago, Corley’s wife, Debby, died of colon cancer. Corley supported Evan being able to play in the season opener.

“If that’s Debbie’s wish,” said Corley, “that’s the least we can do.”

Almost from the minute Debbie Blakeney was diagnosed with cancer, dinners have arrived on their doorstep every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Parents from San Pasqual contribute 50 percent of them. The other half come from Rancho Bernardo parents.

“The Rancho Bernardo parents didn’t know us at all,” said Debbie. “It’s amazing to get that kind of support.”

Late Wednesday at their Escondido home, the Blakeneys discussed what the past seven months have been like. Tim wore a blue and gold San Pasqual T-shirt. Evan wore a dark blue Rancho Bernardo shirt.

“The words you hear from both schools,” said Tim, “is family. And they back it up.”

Smiling, seemingly in no pain, Debbie added, “Despite my illness, I still find beauty. And it’s in the people. It’s inspiring and it’s good for my soul.”

Debbie was busy before Friday’s game. A Rancho Bernardo mother gave her a bouquet of flowers. A San Pasqual mother gave her a lei made of flowers from her garden. Evan showed her a decal on the back of his helmet. In pink, were the initials DB. Both teams wore the decals.

Corley and Rancho Bernardo head coach Tristan McCoy visited Debbie before the game.

“Tony told me he was thinking about me, that he thinks about me all the time,” said Debbie. “He said he knew I was going to do well, that I was in good hands. That I reminded him of his wife.”

Last January, Blakeney didn’t cry when told she was battling cancer. Last night, she shed tears.

“I have never felt so special in my life,” she said.