>>>
>>> CANCER AND FOOTBALL IS BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER
ACROSS THE STATE TO RAISE
AWARENESS AND MONEY TO SUPPORT
MINNESOTA'S CANCER COMMUNITY.
IT IS CALLED TACKLE CANCER AND
FOR ONE COACH, YOU CAN ADD
SERVICE TO COUNTRY AS ANOTHER
WAY HE IS GIVING BACK.
>> 17 YEARS AGO LAST MONTH --
>> NOBODY EXPECTED TO GO TO
WORK THAT DAY, AND NOBODY
EXPECTED TO GET ON THOSE
AIRPLANES THAT DAY.
>> I WAS IN THE PENTAGON IN
WASHINGTON DC ON 9/11. I THINK
WHAT I LEARNED THAT DAY IS THE
SAME THING I LEARNED FROM THE
MOST RECENT EXPERIENCE. TO TELL
YOU THE TRUTH, YOU HAVE GOT TO
MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT.
>> THAT MOST RECENT EXPERIENCE
IS CANCER. DIAGNOSED NOT LONG
AFTER NATE FRYER MOVED BACK TO
MINNESOTA.
MINNESOTA. >> I GREW UP HERE.
>> HERE IS BEAUTIFUL RED WING,
A PLACE NATE CALLED HOME FOR
OVER 30 YEARS.
>> HERE WE GO.
YOU GUYS AT THE BAG COME ACROSS
THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE.
SET!
SET!
SET! >>
SET! >> A
SET! >> A PLACE HE LOVES, EVEN IN
THE POURING RAIN DURING AN
AUGUST FOOTBALL AS IT -- AUGUST
FOOTBALL PRACTICE.
FOOTBALL PRACTICE. THE JOB IS A CHALLENGE HE
EQUATES TO HIS 20 YEARS IN THE
ARMY.
ARMY.
ARMY. >>
ARMY. >> HERE WE GO, SET!
>> THE BEST PART OF IT IS THE
SAME REASON I LIKE EATING A
BLUES TUNE LEADER IN THE ARMY.
SOMEONE WHO CAN'T SEE THEIR WAY
TO THE GOAL AND HELPING THEM TO
THE GOAL AND LEAVING THEM THERE
AND TAKING THEM THEY ARE.
>> LET'S GO.
>> THERE IS FOOTBALLS SUCCESS.
>> IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD TIME IN
REDWING TO BE A GOOD FOOTBALL
PLAYER.
PLAYER.
PLAYER. >> THAT IS SOMETHING NATE KNOWS
A LOT ABOUT, 1983, REDWING MADE
IT TO THE BIG SCHOOLS STATE
SEMI FINALS AND FOOTBALL AND
NUMBER 51 WAS ONE OF THE
CAPTAINS.
CAPTAINS.
CAPTAINS. WHAT GOES AROUND HAS NOW 35
YEARS LATER, COME AROUND.
>> MY BEST FRIEND FROM HIGH
SCHOOL AND THE GUY THAT WAS
CAPTAIN OF THE FOOTBALL TEAM
WITH NO HOLDS A RECORD.
I WAS BACK ON THE SIDELINES
WITH HIM LIKE WE ARE 17 YEARS
OLD AGAIN.
OLD AGAIN. >> WHEN HE IS NOT ON THE FIELD,
HE IS STILL DEFENDING OUR
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. NATE IS A RESEARCHER FOR THE
ARMY WAR COLLEGE.
RIGHT NOW, HE IS WORKING ON THE
MILITARY COMPETITION IN THE
PACIFIC BETWEEN THE U.S. AND
CHINA.
CHINA.
CHINA. HE
CHINA. HE LOVES SERVING HIS COUNTRY,
AND THIS WORK PAYS THE BILLS.
>> THIS JOB FEEDS HIS SOUL.
>> I AM PRETTY INTENSE HANDS-ON
.
.
. >>
. >> NATE
. >> NATE LOVES FOOTBALL, AND HE
EMBRACES THE LIFE LESSONS THE
GAME TEACHES EVERY DAY.
NOTHING, NOT EVEN A SURPRISE
BOUT WITH PROSTATE CANCER LAST
YEAR, CAN GET IN HIS WAY.
@YES, HE LEARNED QUICKLY, HE IS
NOT 29 IN BULLETPROOF ANYMORE.
>> I WOULD ALMOST ARGUE THAT
WAS TRUE UNTIL THE MOMENT I
WOKE UP AFTER THE SURGERY, AND
THEN I FELT EVERY 52 YEARS AND
HOWEVER MANY WEEKS, DAYS,
HOURS, AND MINUTES THAT IS.
I FELT EVERY BIT OF IT AFTER
THAT SURGERY.
THAT SURGERY. >> BUT, HE ALSO FELT THE LOVE
AND SUPPORT OF THE REDWING
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. NATE IS NOW CANCER FREE, AND
THIS MAN OF SERVICE IS GRATEFUL
FOR EVERYTHING.
FOR EVERYTHING. >> I JUST KNOW THAT THE
GREATEST AMOUNT OF PERSONAL
SATISFACTION AND GROWTH COMES
FROM THE THINGS YOU DO ON THE
BEHALF OF OTHERS.
AND THINGS THAT YOU DO WITH
OTHERS ON BEHALF OF OTHERS.
>> WORDS TO LIVE BY, FOR SURE.
NATE IS LIKE ALL OF THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN THROUGH PROSTATE
CANCER.
CANCER.
CANCER. HE IS KEEPING AN EYE ON HIS PSA
AND MAKING SURE THAT CANCER
STAYS AWAY.
STAYS AWAY. TONIGHT AT 10, WE WILL HAVE
ANOTHER TACKLE