Rally for 'Z': Cuyahoga Falls trainer Jim Zrelak aided by community in cancer battle

Jim Zrelak has taken care of Cuyahoga Falls High School athletes for decades.

Now, many are returning the favor.

Zrelak has been the Black Tigers' athletic trainer for 25 years. Just before Memorial Day, however, he was dealt a life-threatening challenge.

"I had stomach cramps for a couple days and it wasn't getting any better, so I went to the ER," Zrelak said, "I found out that Saturday it was cancer and had a mass removed on that Monday."

Calling it a "worst nightmare" scenario, Zrelak's wife Alice said he had mowed several lawns before heading to the hospital and had no previous symptoms.

Zrelak was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, which had metastasized. He said he will remain in treatment likely for the rest of his life.

"I was told that I will never be considered 'cancer-free,'" he said. "The goal is to make it undetectable, but things had gotten so far along that we'll probably never be rid of all the cancer cells."

"It's changed my summer completely," he added. "It's kind of flipped my life upside down in the heartbeat."

Falls plans to honor Jim before its football season open Friday at Clifford Stadium vs. Firestone.

"When I was told about it, it was like "Somebody wants to acknowledge me?'" he said. "Emotionally, it's going to be very hard for me to get through Friday."

High School Football: Cuyahoga Falls Black Tigers 2023 preview

Jim Zrelak called "the foundation" of Cuyahoga Falls athletics

Before this, much of Zrelak's life revolved around Cuyahoga Falls athletics.

A 1987 graduate of Falls, Zrelak served as the school's athletic trainer since 1998. He has taught physical education in the district for 25 years, including the last 12 years at CFHS.

One of the many athletes Zrelak met on the training table was Falls athletic director Kenny Johnson, whom he cared for as a student trainer in the 1990s.

"Jim's not only our trainer, but he's a good friend of mine," Johnson said. "Me and Z joke all the time that we are probably the two people that spend the most time at the school. He does a normal teaching load during the day, then he's here for every practice and home game. The hours he put in to our student-athletes is unmatched."

Like Johnson, Falls football coach Kevin Pask met Zrelak during his playing days.

"It was devastating," Pask said. "Having known him and spent a lot of the time with him, it was hard to hear. There was a lot of times when I came up with a sprained ankle and spent time in his training room. It's crazy how quickly things can change."

Pask said Zrelak's service to Falls athletics has been invaluable.

"He's been the foundation of all the programs here for years now," he said. "At some times, It can be a thankless job, because you're dealing with kids that are hurt. It's such a crucial role for any program."

With Zrelak in treatment, Johnson said worked with Falls' team physician Dr. Koan Heindel and Western Reserve Hospitals to fill the training duties. Former Wadsworth trainer Dave Frisby will serve as Falls trainer this school year.

"He has been so helpful in this," Johnson said of Heindel. "Take the professional part out of it, though. It's more as a personal thing knowing that your friend is going through something like this."

Zrelak said it was hard not to be with student-athletes as the school year began.

"The teachers just started back [Monday]," he said. "Not being there for two-a-days for football and all the other teams was difficult. Athletic training has been a huge part of who I am."

Cuyahoga Falls rallies around one of its long-time trainer

The Falls community is making sure its trainer doesn't fight alone.

Alice Zrelak set up a gofundme page in June to help deal with Jim's medical bills. As of Tuesday, the page had nearly doubled it original pledge goal.

"I guess we still have people contributing, which is a big help to us," she said. "It means a lot. You don't know whose life you touch until something like this happens. He's had so many students reach out to him to make sure he's doing OK."

Jim Zrelak gets emotional reflecting on the support.

"It has been absolutely amazing," he said. "It has been more than I ever imagined. So many of my students have messaged me. Teachers, coaches, the community … they've gone above and beyond. It's just been so shockingly amazing."

Pask and Johnson said celebrating Zrelak at the season opener was a no-brainier.

"This is one thing we can do, even if it's small," Pask said. "We can try to support him, let him know we love him, We want to celebrate him for all that he's done. This is a good time to give back to him."

"When you do this job for 25 years, the amount of people you make contact with is huge," Johnson said. "That's one thing I've always loved about Cuyahoga Falls. This has always been a community that we always rally around to help people that are their own."

Zrelak remains humbled.

"I want to thank the students, the staff and the community for the support they've given, not only to me, but to my family," he added. "It's just been amazing."

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Trainer Jim Zrelak gets boost from Cuyahoga Falls in cancer fight