Prosthesis is no match for teen athlete's drive

By Vincent T. Davis
San Antonio Express-News

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SAN ANTONIO — Sixteen-year-old Matthew Patino was the kicker for the Holmes High School Huskies freshman football team, averaging 30-plus yards per kick.

Before each kick, he'd lean over with his palms out over the ball as if warming his hands over a fire. "Help me kick it good," he'd pray. "I need help here, I gotta kick this ball hard."

With a sweep of his head, he'd signal the kickoff team to get ready. Then he'd lope 5 yards forward, booting the ball unlike any other freshman kicker in San Antonio — Matthew's lower right leg is prosthetic.

Nineteen months ago, doctors diagnosed a stabbing pain in his foot as cancer. Surgeons amputated his lower right leg on April 2, 2007. Long hospital stays followed.

Chemotherapy, prosthetic fittings and his parents' sense of helplessness in not being able to make it all go away filled his life.

The ordeal tested the Patinos' faith and finances, exposing feelings they'd never experienced. His three younger brothers and sister couldn't understand how this happened to Matthew, who loved a good jazz riff, shunned the spotlight and always thought of others first.

Matthew and his family turned to prayer and the goodwill of family, friends, students, teachers and strangers to keep them bound together.

Through it all, the teen had one goal — to run again.

On March 21, 2007, Matthew had just finished the 400-meter dash at Holmes High School when the pain struck deep in the front of his right foot. He limped off the track under the scoreboard, looking in the bleachers for his parents. He waved to his father, who knew something was wrong. He jogged over to Matthew, who winced, rotating his ankle to shake off the pain.

"My ankle's hurting," he told his father. "It just feels weird."

At home, his father, Adam, rubbed Ben-Gay onto Matthew's foot to relieve the aching. The next day, a red rash appeared and the pain persisted.

His mother rushed him to the emergency room. His doctor ordered an X-ray that revealed a hairline fracture. She diagnosed his condition as osteosarcoma, the most common type of bone cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

Susan Patino called her husband at work to tell him the news. He told his boss he had to go, driving off in his 1989 Suburban when the full impact of the news hit him. He veered into the emergency lane, crying in disbelief.

"God, if you can remove it, remove it," he prayed, leaning over the steering wheel. "Give it to me! I don't want him to have it."

Doctors told the Patinos they had two choices — the surgical insertion of a rod to replace bone in the area, or amputation, which the doctors recommended.

If not, there was a 50/50 chance that the cancer would return.

The Patinos sought a second opinion. They drove to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where an orthopedic doctor had the same recommendation.

The Patinos went to Matthew's room at University Hospital to tell him. They prayed beside his bed, then Adam Patino approached his son to tell him the prognosis.

Matthew stopped him.

"Hey, it's all right, Dad."

"I haven't told you anything yet," his father said.

"Everything's going to be fine," Matthew said. "I know what's going to happen. I'm cool."

The morning after the surgery, Matthew set a goal to match the dream he had the day before — he'd run again with his family and friends cheering him on. "God, let me run again," he prayed. "I can see it."

Matthew found strength in his favorite scripture, Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."