Former South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia hasn’t had the easiest of summers.

Back in May, Garcia revealed that he’d been diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer, and since then he’s been undergoing a grueling treatment plan, including six rounds of aggressive chemo. One of his lesions is no longer visible on recent scans, and the second has shrunk more than 50%. The next step is radiation, before a surgical procedure he’s hoping to have by the end of August.

Through it all, the former signal caller has been determined to maintain a positive outlook, and he is still approaching life with the same mindset he had when he was attacking defenses as a member of the Gameocks.

“That has kind of been what our entire goal was,” Garcia told The Clemson Insider. “Obviously, this happening is a s—– situation, but you got to kind of make chicken salad out of chicken s—. So that is kind of what our mindset is.

“I feel great, still working out. I actually lifted weights for the first time in a while (Tuesday), so I am sore. Felt like I got hit by a train. But finished chemo two weeks ago, had my sixth round, and all the scans came back better than expected. The surgeons at Tampa General said they are ready and confident to perform surgery. We are going to start a five-day cycle of radiation starting next week, then give my body a little bit of time to breathe and rest, then go into surgery towards the end of August.”

While Garcia openly admits the diagnosis was blindsiding, he refuses to let the diagnosis define him.

“Yeah, it sucks,” he said. “It was definitely not a welcoming deal. But it is what it is, and we are here, and we are going to fight through this thing and come out on the other side stronger than before.”

The Clemson-South Carolina rivalry is one of the most heated in the country and Garcia was 2-0 as a starting quarterback against the Tigers. However, some things are bigger than football. Some things are even bigger than the rivalry.

Proving that mantra true is Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, who has been one of Garcia’s biggest supporters. Swinney reached out to Garcia shortly after he broke the news of the diagnosis, and then in early July, the two got to spend some time together down in Florida.

“We got a chance to hang out with each other down in Boca Grande, which was pretty cool,” Garcia said. “He has been incredible. It was pretty cool that he took the time out of his day and out of his schedule to see a rival quarterback. It is like coach Swinney says, it is bigger than football, and I am extremely thankful he is taking the time to reach out to me.”

And Swinney’s message to Garcia has been clear.

“Just to stay positive and you are in the fight and stay in the fight as much as you can. He was like, ‘You are a tough S.O.B. I remember playing against you and coaching against you, and I don’t have any doubt in my mind that you are going to get through this.’ Just stuff like that and little tidbits of support that really go a long way and that I am extremely thankful for.”

Not long after Garcia went public with his cancer diagnosis, Clemson defensive tackle Hevin Brown-Shuler went public with his own cancer diagnosis, revealing in late May that he has Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Garcia has shown Brown-Shuler the same kind of support Swinney showed him.

“Getting a chance to talk with Hevin, I know he is going through a terrible situation, as well,” Garcia said. “But he is in good spirits. Actually texted him (Wednesday). Just kind of shooting the breeze and trying to keep them as confident as possible. It is a tough deal, a much tougher deal for him because he is in playing shape. He is getting ready for a big season, and having this kind of news brought on him is kind of terrible. He is ready to hit people, and I am sure he was absolutely ready to get after it. But it’s just like, dude, you’ve got to fight through this thing and realize that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Just try and stay positive.”

Since learning of his cancer, Garcia has been very outspoken when it comes to health screenings and any preventive measures that can be taken. He’s been heavily involved with the “Quarterback Your Health” movement, a healthcare philosophy that is heavily emphasized by medical institutions like UChicago Medicine.

Throughout it all, the former Gamecock has remained determined to beat this thing. While this journey has been full of lessons, there’s been one big one he’s learned. Not only does he say to listen to your body, but he wants all husbands to listen to their wives. It was his spouse, Maria Garcia, who finally insisted he see a doctor despite him telling her he was fine.

“It is very simple. Listen to your wife,” Garcia said. “I am actually sitting next to my wife right now, and she is laughing her ass off, but I mean, she tried to get me to go see a doctor for months. Being a dude and a former athlete, it’s like, yeah, I don’t trust the doctors. I do not want to go there. I am a superhero, and nothing bad is going to happen to me. But I have come to the realization that these doctors go to school for a long time to take care of people. This is their livelihood. This is their passion. This is what they want to do with their life. Put your faith in them and see what happens.

“I am very fortunate to be in the industry of quarterback training and have actually trained for the last several years. The head surgeon at Tampa General, when we found out the news, my wife immediately called him, and he made sure to calm her down and say everything is going to be fine. We are going to get through this, and to this day he has been instrumental in everything. But just listen to your gut, listen to your wife. If you are not feeling well and you’ve got some stuff going on that is irregular, go get checked out. Put your pride aside and just do it, and you will thank yourself later.”