Rob Long's Journey Comes Full Circle

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It's been quite a week for former Syracuse punter Rob Long.

Long, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2010, celebrated the seventh anniversary of his first clean scan Wednesday. He is now officially seven years cancer-free. If that news wasn't exciting enough, the next day Long was back on the Syracuse campus to accept the University's Orange Circle Award.

Now the director of strategic development for Uplifting Athletes, Long was one of four award winners recognized Thursday evening in a ceremony at Schine Student Center. The Syracuse chapter of Uplifting Athletes and fellow student groups The Shaped Clay Society and Nanhi Kali were also honored.

Introduced in 2009, the Orange Circle Award is presented to altruistic members of the Syracuse University community who have done extraordinary things in the service of others.

"It's hard to put into words because I feel so indebted to the University for everything it has given me," Long said. "This is just one more thing I feel I'll never be able to pay back, but it's an incredible honor to be here and to be part of this."

In his role with Uplifting Athletes, Long works to raise money and awareness for rare-disease research and patient-focused programs. The organization is made up of local chapters run by current college football student-athletes. Right now there are more than 20 chapters across the country, including Syracuse's, with more potentially on the way.

Long said Western Michigan and Kent State, two schools with Syracuse connections, have expressed interest in starting their own chapters. Former Syracuse Uplifting Athletes president Jason Emerich is a graduate assistant at Western Michigan. Macky MacPherson, Long's Syracuse teammate and an ex-Orange graduate assistant, is the running backs coach at Kent State.

"We're excited about the direction we're headed as an organization," Long said. "We're gearing ourselves toward the patients and making them the focus of everything we do."

It wasn't that long ago Long himself was a rare-disease patient. A three-time All-BIG EAST selection, Long had his senior season of 2010 cut short after a cancerous tumor was found on his brain. Long had surgery to remove most of the mass that December, and two weeks later watched Syracuse's Pinstripe Bowl victory over Kansas State from the sidelines.

In January 2011, Long began intense rounds of radiation and chemotherapy to eliminate the remaining cancer cells. On March 28, 2011 no signs of the cancer remained. Long said doctors told him it was a "near miracle."

While his battle with the disease robbed him of a potential pro career, the experience set Long on his current path. He received cards and gifts from well-wishers every day during his treatment. The outpouring of support is one of the main reasons Long has stayed connected to the University, serving as a member of the Syracuse Football Alumni Club and the Generation Orange Leadership Council.

"I feel like I should play the lottery," Long said. "To have everything I've had go my way and to have the support that I've had from the people at the University has been incredible. From the chancellor to the athletic director to the head football coach, it's special. I just don't think that's something that's repeated at other places."

In 2013, long snapper Sam Rodgers started the Syracuse chapter of Uplifting Athletes in Long's honor. That's why it was meaningful for Long to have current chapter president Zack Mahoney on stage with him to accept the group's own Orange Circle Award.

One of the fastest growing Uplifting Athletes chapters, Syracuse held its fifth annual "Lift for Life" at Manley Field House last July. The event raised more than $11,000 to benefit the rare-disease community. It's also become one of the most important summer bonding experiences for the football team.

Since getting involved with Uplifting Athletes, Mahoney said he's looked to Long often for guidance.

"He's been a big brother when it comes to football and stuff off the field," Mahoney said. "I know if I need something Rob's going to be there for me. He's been a great help to me both with Uplifting Athletes and football. I'm very thankful for that."

Mahoney, who turns the reins of the chapter over to incoming president Sam Heckel for 2018-19, said he hopes it will continue to grow and expand.

"Right now we are hosting our events in Manley Field House. I'm hoping one day real soon the Syracuse community will truly rally around our 'Lift for Life' and we can bring that event to the Carrier Dome."

Undoubtedly, it's something Long would be excited to see, too.

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Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Jason Emerich

Sam Heckel

Macky MacPherson

Zack Mahoney

Sam Rodgers

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