By E.J. Montini The Arizona Republic Aug. 16, 1998
After months of painstaking effort, scientists now concede that even their most sophisticated computers can't calculate the total number of news stories more important than whether Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky . . . you know.
They can say for sure, however, that one of those stories involves a former Arizona State University offensive lineman named Joe Cajic. It's a Croatian name, pronounced CHI-ich. Joe's parents immigrated here looking for a better life, and have done what immigrants do to get it. They worked like dogs. It's a philosophy they passed onto their two sons.
Five years ago, The Arizona Republic reporter covering ASU's training camp wrote, "The workhorse award goes to guard Joe Cajic. . . . The transfer from Southern Cal made it for 70 of a possible 72 weight-room workouts over the summer."
Cajic grew up in Phoenix and attended Shadow Mountain High School. He was champion discus thrower and shot-putter and one of the state's most sought high school football recruits. His older brother had attended ASU. Joe picked the University of Southern California. "After a few years, I felt like I wanted to come home," Joe says. Cajic is 6-foot-5, and in those days he weighed about 275 pounds. He spent his junior and senior years at ASU blocking for a young quarterback named Jake Plummer. But, because of shoulder surgery and other injuries, the pros were out of reach for Joe.
Another play
After college, he took a job with a roofing wholesaler. He traveled and put in long hours. Last year, he began suffering headaches and back pain. He figured it was because he was on his feet too much. "I went to the doctor to get checked out," he says. "They ran a few tests, then told me the results: leukemia." The news hit him low and hard, like a crack-back block. But, it's never been Joe's nature to cry foul. He simply got up and got back into the game.
The only cure for his particular type of leukemia is a bone marrow transplant. His family underwent blood tests to see if any of them was a potential donors. None was. Family was contacted in Croatia. No one there matched, either. An international computer search was run through the National Marrow Donor Program. No luck.
It didn't stop Joe or his family. "What I need to do with my time now," he says, "is get more people to register as potential donors." It's fairly easy. All it takes is a little blood and $40. You can find out about it by contacting the local marrow donor office at 675-5493 or by calling the national hotline at 800-MARROW2.
Nurse Judy Bartholomeaux, who manages the local program, told me, "It's a very small chance any of us will match a person in need. But wouldn't it be a grand thing if we did?" Doesn't take much Donating marrow requires an overnight stay in the hospital and a few weeks with a sore hip. For that, you can save a life. If that's too much, though, cash donations can be made to United Blood Services to help offset the $40-per-donor fees.
In Joe's case, like many others, a donor would most likely come from his ethnic group. "There are about 2.5 million Croats out there," he says. "They tell me there's a one-in-a-million chance I'll find a donor. To me, that means there are two donors out there. I've just got to find one." Sometimes, when a team needs a touchdown and time is running out, a coach sends his receivers to the end zone and has his quarterback loft the ball into the crowd, praying for a miracle catch. This only works if linemen like Joe Cajic can hold off the other team's rush. That's what Joe's doing, now. Blocking the opposition, like the old days. And hoping there's somebody out there, some friend, some stranger, going long.
E.J. Montini can be reached at (602) 271-8978 or at [email protected] via e-mail.