A Golder Ranch Fire District Engineer was diagnosed with Stage Four Prostate cancer about 14 months ago, but he recently got the good news that he is now in remission and has returned back to doing the job he loves.
Gary Schobel is a husband, dad, and grandfather and he largely credits his strong support system for helping him through the battle with cancer. He says that if your why is strong enough, you can accomplish anything.
My family, my friends, they were a strong enough why to be here, Gary Schobel said.
He spent each day looking for the positive. You got up in the morning, you had try to find something positive that you were looking for,” Gary Schobel said.
His now two-year-old grandson has been a light in life, even on the hardest days.
He was just barely walking, but he made his way over to the bed and called out, Papa, Gary Schobel said. Like I said I want to live for him, I want to live for others, I want to live for my wife, our marriage, our kids.
Through radiation, chemotherapy and surgery his wife of 33 years has been his rock through all of this.
I would say 90 percent of this is mental and he has had a very positive attitude and he has stayed really inspiring not only to others, but to me, too, Christine Schobel, Garys wife, said.
His inspiration has also spread into the Golder Ranch Fire District.
He thinks I supported him, but in reality he supported me a lot more than he knows, his coworker, Gabe Bravo said.
Recently, Gary Schobel got the news he had been waiting to hear he is in remission.
His wife explained hearing the news was almost too good to be true. To hear hes in remission, we heard all the angels singing, Christine Schobel said.
Bravo said Gary Schobel is the textbook definition of a champion. He never let the cancer run him, he ran the cancer and he ran it out, Bravo said.
Now that hes in remission, hes back to doing the job he loves.
Seeing him back on the job and being able to be a firefighter again has been the greatest joy, Christine Schobel said.
Despite everything he has been through, he says he wouldnt change what has happened over the last 14 months.
Its a new purpose, its a new perspective on life, Gary Schobel said.
He encourages everyone to get their yearly check-ups and to be their own advocate. He said, Early detection, early treatment will make a world of difference in the outcome.