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A Real Sports Hero
By Ken Horn | July 9, 2010
(Classic Vantage Point)
Steve Humann paced the sidelines like a caged tiger, barking at players and referees. As head coach of the Southern Oregon State College men’s basketball team, Steve was intense and aggressive. And he was successful.
Steve broke into coaching at a young age and quickly worked his way through the ranks at several schools. During 6 years of coaching at Cornell University, he developed relationships with many of the top names in sports. At 37, Steve was on top of the world.
But that was about to change.
During practice one day, Steve unexpectedly lost consciousness. More blackouts followed, and Steve was diagnosed with a life-threatening mass on his brain stem. Surgery was scheduled.
At first, Steve’s wife Joyce was told the 7-hour surgery had been a success. But events turned tragic and there were complications. Steve was comatose. He was given a 50-50 chance of survival.
Joyce, a Catholic charismatic, prayed through days of excruciating uncertainty. She knew Steve had never really received Christ as Lord. There was more at stake than his life.
Christmas came and went for Joyce and her three daughters. When she thought, I can’t do this, God reassured her that Steve was in His hands. Three weeks after the surgery, Steve came out of the coma. He had lost functional use of everything except his left arm, and his speech had become slurred. Life had changed.
Years passed and Steve made little progress. When even that ceased, Joyce was advised to put him in a nursing home. She wouldn’t. In desperation, she prayed, “Lord, I need something more.” That was when the Lord directed her to an Assemblies of God church where “the presence of God was so strong I knew that’s where I should be,” she says. The people of the church reached out to Joyce—and then to Steve. The day came when he told Joyce, “I think I want to start going to your church.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, struggling to restrain her joy. When she walked out of his room, she pumped her fist in the air and said, “Yes.”
Shortly after Steve first wheeled into the sanctuary of Ashland Christian Center, he received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. His life was again drastically changed. Today, at services, Steve can be found in his wheelchair at the front of the sanctuary—praising God and inspiring those who worship with him. Joyce too has been an inspiration—an example of persistent devotion through years of hard times.
Steve has made some progress and has even returned to a degree of coaching. But his disabilities remain. Bitterness would be understandable for this former high-powered sports personality. What is his attitude? He’s thankful. And he has faith that he can be healed—but he lets others do the praying for him. He prefers to invest his prayers in others. “It’s OK if I’m not healed,” he says; “I will still love the Lord. I’d rather be in this chair and know where I’m going for eternity than to be out bip-boppin’ around and going straight to hell.”
God has opened many doors for Steve to share his testimony. He and Joyce have touched the lives of believers and unbelievers. He no longer paces the sidelines, pushing college athletes to victory on the court. Now he touches lives in a far more powerful way—leading them to victory in Jesus.
Originally published 7/13/1997
Topics: sports, Christian living |
July 9th, 2010 at 10:47 am
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