Nice Story on Houston Official Mark Ideus

[TXMike]

Mark is aTASO Life Member.  He was a great official when he was on the field and is still very active in various Chapter activities. Mark has been fighting a serious battle for several years


http://journeys.methodisthealth.com/mark-ideus-video.html

From the hospital's website:

“In Texas, high school football is king,” says Mark Ideus, a retired football official who now trains and evaluates active officials. Shortly after officiating at his last championship game in 2002, Mark started experiencing swelling in his groin that was eventually diagnosed as metastatic kidney cancer. At the time, there was no dedicated chemotherapy treatment for kidney cancer, and Mark received a devastating prognosis: 10 to 12 months to live.

Refusing to give up, he did some research and discovered that a clinical trial for a new kidney-cancer chemotherapy drug was under way with Dr. Anna Belcheva at Methodist Willowbrook Hospital — just a few miles from his home. Mark was accepted into the trial, and after nearly five years of various experimental treatments, his cancer has stabilized. “Since I came to Methodist Willowbrook, my quality of life has been much better,” says Mark, “I feel better now than I did when I first got cancer.” His success with the latest treatments allows him to continue to enjoy the precision points of football and simply embrace life. “I credit my doctor for saving my life,” says Mark, “I wouldn’t go anywhere else.”

[El Macman]

Worked the All-Star game with him way back when. Very nice guy, and solid official. Glad things are working out for him.

[Welpe]

I have been very impressed while hearing him speak, bet he was a great official to work with on the field.

[TxSkyBolt]

Great story Mike.....just another reminder that we are not promised one more breath on this earth.

Best regards,

Brad

[Arbitrator]

 

You don't find people any nicer or more inspiring than Mark. He's simply a hands-down great official who helps set the standard for all officials! God bless you Mark for who you are and all that you have done to promote high school football officiating in the state of Texas and in the Greater Houston area. I truly feel honored and blessed by your friendship and to have gotten the opportunity to work with you over the years!   

[Coby]

Quick Ideus story:
Six years ago I was whitehatting my first Varsity Football game.  I was the high experience guy on the crew with 1 game previous exp as a HL,  It was my U/HL/LJ first varsity game ever and my BJ had worked 5-6 six man games back in college with another chapter.  So to make matters worse we are getting evaluated that game.  To Marks credit he said it was not an evaluation but a check up to make sure we knew what we were doing.  At half time Mark comes down and says, " Coby, if you dont loosen up a bit out there and start looking like you are enjoying yourself then I am going to shove a piece of charcoal up your butt and get a diamond by the end of the 3rd quarter".  Needless to say I was a bit "tense" during the game.  I told Mark how much I appreciated those words a couple of years later and have greatly valued his help in making me a better official.