For many athletes going out to the baseball diamond is almost a given, but for Alex Dinkel of the Midwest Bruins, it is a blessing he won't ever take for granted.
In March 2007, Alex was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer in his brain which also spread to his lungs. After numerous surgeries and chemotherapy, Alex seemed to be okay. The only damage was thought to be the right side of Alex's face, but in August of last year, he nearly lost his life. "I had a
sudden cardiac arrest," Alex said. "I died in my front yard. I was dead for twenty minutes. I died in front of my girlfriend and my mom and dad. My neighbors down the street resuscitated me in time for ambulances to get me back and going."
Alex now has a defibrillator in place and wants to help others by setting up a foundation bearing his namesake. He wants the foundation to lend support to families in the fight against cancer in Cincinnati, Ohio where his father Tom played for the Bengals after a prolific career at the University of Kansas.
Dinkel plans to attend Washburn in the fall.
For more information about the Alex Dinkel Foundation, go to our website at ksnt.com and click on the 27 News Links.
