By Jay Olstad, WTMJ
June 14, 2009 – MILWAUKEE – His name is Eric McLean; a seemingly healthy 24-year-old man from Two Rivers, who’s dying.
“It’s been a crazy ride,” said McLean. “And there was pretty much nothing they could do for me.”
He just learned seven days ago, the Leukemia he had beat twice before, starting back in 2003, had returned. And this time, the doctors will not be able to help him.
“If I sit back and ride it out, so do speak, I have 1 to 2 months,” he said.
He still plans to get chemo and fight to stay alive as long as he can.
In the meantime, he has compiled what is called a bucket list.
“Eric McLean, from Two Rivers, Wisconsin,” said the Miller Park announcer.
He threw out the first pitch at Miller Park Sunday, with his family and friends right there by his side.
And he went skydiving last week, another dream come true. “Oh my gosh!” he yelled from thousands of feet in the air.
“I just started to think about all the things I wanted to do before that might happen,” said McLean.
And despite looking death in the face, he’s thinking of others.
He set up a Web site several years ago that raises money to fight Leukemia, www.givetolife.org.
“Through that Web site we’ve raised $25,000 to $28,000 for cancer research,” he said. “People I’ve never met before have told me I changed their lives. The reach is so far.”
And that’s why his family, in particular his father is so proud of his son.
“He’s going to keep fighting to the very end. And we’re down here to pull for him,” said Brian McLean as tears welled up in his eyes.
Never before did watching baseball on a Sunday afternoon mean so much.
“This in itself is a dream come true,” said Eric.
And like he did when throwing out the first pitch, Eric plans to aim high and throw hard these next two months, in hopes he has one last fastball to throw.
“I’m not giving up. There’s no way,” Eric said.