Pam Dawber portrayed Lucy Wedemeyer. But each season the San Francisco 49ers remind Bay Area fans the importance of a high school coach. No one was too big for him to attack.. Somehow stardom has eluded Nouri, who epitomizes the athletic-looking, handsome leading man. Only 10 percent live longer than a decade. 11 ratings2 reviews. [1] He was the younger brother of Herman Wedemeyer, the actor who played Duke on the CBS television series Hawaii Five-O. The first was the 1988 CBS-made-for-TV movie, Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story. Michael Nouri played Charlie and Pam Dawber played Lucy. PHOTO: Charlie Wedemeyers athletic career spans his career at Michigan State, coaching at Los Gatos High in the Bay Area and his induction into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame in Hawaii. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Charlie Wedemeyer's final touchdown in a Punahou uniform not only decided the outcome of the 1964 Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship, it was one of the most unforgettable scoring plays at the old Honolulu Stadium. Trending. Cercena obtained very little nutrition, losing 40 pounds by March and ultimately requiring feedings through a surgically implanted tube. He tells his players his coaching philosophy: "Give your best. This still didnt prevent Charlie from impishly suggesting that he was going to attend Los Gatos home games wearing a Nike headband on which someone had printed the following words: EXCUSE ME FOR LIVING. Charlie Wedemeyer, the inspirational high school football coach who battled Lou Gehrigs disease for more than 30 years, has died. Wedemeyers final game in seven years as the head coach included a Hollywood ending. ", Yet her struggles with postviral gastroparesis will continue. The film was shot on location in South Carolina, with the Wedemeyer family present. Im sure you will enjoy reading about the journey! Pro football Hall of Fame Coach, TONY DUNGY. Youre not even breathing! Lucy exclaimed. At his death, he could only move his eyes, eyebrows and lips. Other than a few facial movements, Wedemeyer cant move a muscle. Charlie didnt diplomatically recognize the word. "That's been my biggest goal. Jan. 22, 1994: Kale, a wide receiver at University of the Pacific, plays in Hawaiis Hula Bowl college all-star game 25 years after his father. She said the doctor first resisted, contending that Charlie would be susceptible to infection, but then performed the tracheotomy. The TD run wasn't long, officially only 14 yards from the line of scrimmage. Lucy, daughter Carrie and son Kale (Charles in Hawaiian) are attending the enshrinement at the Polynesian Cultural Center. They bring back to life Charlie Wedemeyers inspirational story of coaching the Los Gatos High football team while fighting Lou Gehrigs disease. "And hopefully," Cercena says, "that will solve my issues. But somewhere along the way, they decided that Charlie was going to persevere and the family would help him do so. I invite you to follow me on Twitter @shanny4055, RAYE of LIGHT story of Duffy Daugherty and southern Black high school coaches, most prominently Bubba Smith's father Willie Ray Smith, laying tracks to college football's first fully integrated rosters. To make this lifestyle work, Charlies family members had to learn complicated medical techniques. This is pure joy for our family, Lucy said. Interestingly, the 1964 Punahou-Kamehameha playoff game was also televised live throughout the state. And what, exactly, did Charlie say this time? We can choose to feel sorry for ourselves, be bitter and angry and cause everybody else and us to be miserable. He cannot eat, breathe or speak on his own. He loved Duffy Daugherty, who had been Charlies college coach at Michigan State. The legendary football coach died Thursday. 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I learned a lot from him.. At one point, the school principal tells Charlie his speech is too difficult to understand and he can no longer coach. She insisted that the hospital find one. Kaulukukui was a Hawaii legend as a player and coach of the Rainbows. ", In the meantime, Cercena lives in the Columbus home where she grew up, spending time caring for her family's three dogs. The family has been through desperate times, but those days seem far away. Feb. 19, 1946: Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the youngest of nine children to Bill and Ruth Wedemeyer. ", Cercena hopes to return to nursing school in the spring of 2023 and finish her training soon after, she says, "barring any other emergency situations. ' she asked, meaning there would be no attempt at resuscitation if Charlie stopped breathing again. Lucy, daughter Carrie and son Kale (Charles in Hawaiian) are attending the enshrinement at the Polynesian Cultural Center. He attained his dream of teaching math and coaching high school football in California. But his life itself is testimony to his really strong commitment to getting the job done. Instead he became an inspiration to everybody.. Besides his wife, Wedemeyer is survived by their daughter, Carri, and son, Kale; and seven grandchildren. this is a life sentence. Doctors were surprised how well he has healed, according to Lucy. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? In the early years of his illness, Wedemeyer prayed to God that he could get to see his two children, Carri and Kale, grow up to graduate from high school and then college. Charlie Wedemeyer and Lucy Dangler, people with drastically different backgrounds, met at the bookstore on the first day of their sophomore year at Punahou Charlie is survived by his wife of 44 years, Lucy, daughter Carri (& Keith) Andry of Los Gatos, son Kale (& Sonia) Wedemeyer of Los Gatos, seven grandchildren, He challenged university administrators to expand access and opportunity to autonomous learners. Hes being honored beyond his success for his athletic ability. Daughter Carri Andry, 40, lives in Los Gatos and runs the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach, which raises money for ALS families. The family of four lives in Chicago at present. The last two weeks were actually a gift to me, kind of getting us ready, his wife said. More remarkably, her character doesn't age despite the constant pressure and tension Lucy must have felt from Charlie's continuing reliance upon her over 10 years. Best of 2022 Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. Thats just one example of how the Wedemeyers made their lives seem more fun than it surely was. In one of the movie's opening scenes, Charlie is shown going to the blackboard and writing his coaching motto, "Pride and Heart." So he asked to enter again. Quietly, privately. Fun and Games. Dec. 26, 1988: Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story, a TV movie, airs on national network television. According to the ALS Association, the disease strikes about 5,600 people each year in the United States. If I can have a piece in helping Samantha achieve that dream," Tejada says, "then I want to do that. Simonson called Wedemeyer a great example for everyone. They did. He thought that striving for anything less than the very best was unacceptable., Simonson went on to say that Wedemeyers determination could sometimes make him a hard man to live with. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Dick Sparrer is the editor of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times and Saratoga News, and sports editor for the Los Gatos, Saratoga, Campbell, Cupertino, Sunnyvale and San Jose weekly newspapers. Charlie Wedemeyer was more than just a coach,, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Charlie Wedemeyer was more than just a coach, so much more. While Wedemeyer was best known for football, Springbett said the coach was instrumental in getting a baseball exchange program going with his high school in Hawaii. But Charlie Wedemeyer was more than a football coachhe was an inspiration. All these people who look perfect and yet are broken inside.. Lucy researched medical options and discovered that a portable ventilator could aid Charlies breathing. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Played in 1969 East-West Shrine Game in San Francisco and the 1969 Hula Bowl. The ordeal left her unable to return to school "like I had originally planned," says Cercena, who learned she'd been accepted into a selective emergency room immersion training program at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital. The remarkable run broke a 6-6 tie in the third quarter as Punahou went on to beat Kamehameha 20-6 in the ILH playoff game on Thanksgiving Day. Or, we can choose to go through the situation knowing we will become better and stronger for it. He was the finest blocker on our team. He had strong opinions. Its an exhausting process for nurses to learn, and it comes with a high attrition rate. Springbett said Wedemeyer would not tolerate swearing on the field. Lucy is adamant that her sacrifice should in no way be compared to the enormity of Charlies. February 1978: Diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrigs disease, and given two to three years to live. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? Wedemeyer played in the East-West Shrine Game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, and then came back home to play in the 1969 Hula Bowl. The punishment for swearing was hed make you run a mile after practice, in full gear, with a big rubber tire around your neck. Springbett said he only had to be punished like that once before learning his lesson. "It sometimes added a little pressure, knowing he was there watching, but it was great to be able to ask him questions about each incident in the story. Cheering on the sidelines was Lucy Dangler, Wedemeyer's high school sweetheart and now his wife of 42 years. Charlie Wedmeyer is survived by his wife, Lucy; his son, Dr. Kale Wedemeyer; his daughter, Carri Andry; seven grandchildren; and five sisters and one brother. "Having experienced so much and being on that side of the bed, it's going to be an amazing journey and I'm excited to help along that way.". Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story. Ive been around Hawaii athletics for most of my adult life,, said Pal Eldredge, 62, a former Wedemeyer teammate and later a coach at Punahou. Anyone else would have just given up long ago., Patti Hughes, an assistant principal on Simonsons staff, added, There are many wonderful, outstanding people in the town of Los Gatos and on the staff of Los Gatos High School, she said. Practice is a highlight, despite the two- or three-hour process of getting out the door. His story is different, thanks to an unshakable Christian faith and a fighter for a wife. Kathryn Has Two Daughters With Her Spouse. It was a fitting tribute to the man who touched so many others during his eventful life. "Getting a second chance to play them was a gift, thanks to Roosevelt.". But there is no anger or bitterness. June 29, 1995: Inducted into first class of the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame along with Lucy. Scialabbas words struck Wedemeyer. Within weeks both nurses were let go because they couldnt master lip-reading, leaving the Wedemeyers to start the process over. He was eventually forced to coach from a golf cart. Charlie just mouthed the words, I dont care.. I never saw anyone battle harder, without moving a muscle. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? Charlie Wedemeyer is supposed to be dead. Feb. 19, 1946: Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the youngest of nine children to Bill and Ruth Wedemeyer. High school career: Three-time Interscholastic League of Honolulu football all-star (1962, '63, '64). Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Despite her protestations in the script, Dawber's character comes off as a saint who easily handles a very difficult situation. And he was robbed of that.. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Charlie Wedmeyer is survived by his wife, Lucy; his son, Dr. Kale Wedemeyer; his daughter, Carri Andry; seven grandchildren; and five sisters and one brother. Wedemeyer was a sophomore backup quarterback/holder; Apisa, a junior fullback; and Dick Kenney, a senior kicker/punter. There was a time when Lucy was unsure if Charlie could handle not being a head coach, fearing he would lose the drive to live. Kale, then 15, saved him by sticking a catheter down his throat, clearing an airway and forcing him to gag and cough. There, Charlies eyes beckoned to Lucy. Tommy Kaulukukui was a mentor to all of us who went to Michigan State, said Bob Apisa, who was enshrined in the Polynesian Hall in 2018 as the first Samoan All-American player with the Spartans in 1965 and 1966. By then, Wedemeyer was sick, but Rabitz said he was always around the football field helping out. Wedemeyer was a legendary high school athlete at Punahou School in Honolulu until he joined Michigan State coach Duffy Daughertys Hawaiian Pipeline. The other looks at Wedemeyer quizzically, scribbling notes in frantic fashion (lips go up more on T; teeth slide more on R) and squinting at his mouth as he tries again. But it took more than 30 seconds, seemingly eons to Kamehameha defenders, because Wedemeyer went back to the 25-yard line for an errant lateral by a teammate who was about to be tackled. As the morning sunlight melts into the living room of the Wedemeyers Los Gatos home, nurse Angela Palelei-Bustos wedges herself to the side of Wedemeyers bed. Wedemeyer was especially gifted as an offensive coach. He was teaching in Flint, Mich., when in 1970 he accepted an educational fellowship in San Jose, and a teaching and coaching job at Los Gatos two years later. Wedemeyers relentless spirit finally gave way to his bodys fight with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at age 64 on June 3, 2010. And every night around 10 p.m., Cercena sets up the TPN to deliver nutrition for the next 12 hours through an IV while she sleeps. Then his wheelchair is latched to the floor. He went to see to Dr. Frank Griffin, the team physician for the Wildcats, and the news was frightening. What happened that season was pure Hollywood. Somehow, some way, things get done, Lucy said. Though only 5-foot-7, 164 pounds, Wedemeyer played wide receiver and blocking back at Michigan State and took part in the Spartans' memorable 10-10 tie with Notre Dame in 1966, the first game local fans saw televised live from the Mainland. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? Born Feb. 19, 1946, in Honolulu, Wedemeyer was a football star while growing up in Hawaii and at Michigan State University. Many of his former players consider him their most inspirational coach by far, among them Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards, who played at Los Gatos High and later Stanford University. Los Gatos reached the Central Coast Section Division I championship game and beat favored St. Francis 14-12 on a blocked field goal in the final minute. Lucy became his voice. Their marriage is blessed with two daughters, Sydney and Sawyer, now aged 24 and Many of his former players consider him their most inspirational coach by far, among them Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards, who played at Los Gatos High and later Stanford University. Carri isn't the only less-than-saintly character in the film. If it were a game of touch football, he still would have scored. Honors: San Jose Sports Hall of Fame (1995), National High School Sports Hall of Fame (2007), Disabled American of the Year (1992), California High School Coach of the Year (1985), MIchigan State Jack Breslin Award (1987). "We've had a bit of a bumpy ride since Charlie had kidney failure more than a year ago," she said. He had undergone five surgeries in the last two weeks because of intestinal blockages. You have this amazing athlete who lived and died by his sports, she said. Muscle contraction causes Wedemeyers toes to curl, so Popsicle sticks are taped to the bottom of each toe to keep them straight while pulling on socks and shoes. He was a pretty sharp offensive guy.. Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story is a 1988 American television film directed by Roy Campanella II and starring Michael Nouri as Charlie Wedemeyer and Pam Dawber as his wife Lucy.[1][2][3]. pic.twitter.com/3D8RqjMixO. Wedemeyer was a football, basketball and baseball star at Honolulus Punahou School, where he met Lucy, a cheerleader. At 5-8, 175 pounds, he would knock those big 6-4, 258-pound ends flat on their backs. He was a first-team all-star with teammate Norm Chow when Punahou won the ILH basketball title in 1964, and played second base on the school's 1965 ILH championship baseball team. There are so many great Charlie Wedemeyer stories. In November, she began requiring intravenous fluids for additional nutrients for 12 hours each day, a process called total parenteral nutrition (TPN). After his graduation from Punahou in 1965 he attended Michigan State University where he played for coach Duffy Daugherty. Within moments, he felt a surge of power and peace course through his body. Kathryn gave birth to their daughter Sydney Chandler on 13 February 1997, while their second daughter Sawyer Chandler followed in 2003; both Kathryn and Kyle are keeping their children away from the medias attention, and thus nothing about them is known. Not long after Wedemeyer led the Wildcats to the CCS championship in 1985, the organizers of the Silicon Valley Youth Classic, the summer all-star football game for graduating high school seniors, contacted him with a special offer. He continued to be a coach at the high school and be part of it all for 30 years.. Two new nurses stand just past the sheet-covered contour of Wedemeyers bowed legs, listening closely as Palelei-Bustos begins another lesson on reading the silent coachs lips. Were all going to experience it. Daughter of Rebecca Kaono Wedemeyer of Pukoa, Hawaii. "At the time it was devastating," she says, "because I was so excited, that's what I had really hoped for and where I wanted to be placed. The Loves of Dracula. The movie ends shortly after Los Gatos dramatically clinched the California State championship with Charlie as coach. 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The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame enshrinement brings it all together Hawaii, Punahou, Michigan State, Los Gatos and a courageous fight against a disease with no cure. That speaks volumes for Wedemeyer, because while he was a great high school football coach, his legacy goes much deeper. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Lets go over the four important words again, she said. Wedemeyers body deteriorated. For six days in the foothills behind Los Gatos, the Lexington Fire burned, and the smoke caused him to cough uncontrollably. But Wedemeyer never left football. Los Gatos defeated neighboring St. Francis of Mountain View 14-12 on Dec. 1985 in the Central Coastal Section championship game. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Wedemeyer went to see Griffin, the Los Gatos team doctor and an orthopedic surgeon. Of course they did. Three Bay Area men, including justice reform activist, plead guilty in Norteo RICO murder case, Californias hardest to book campground isnt in a famous park. "In most patients it goes away within the first year," she says. American teacher and football coach (19462010), San Jose Mercury News, Dennis Knight, Elliott Almond and Mark Emmons. Everything he did was with great determination, Daugherty says in the 1990 PBS film. The victory served as the climax of a television movie made about Charlies life. 1977: Named head football coach at Los Gatos. When its time to leave, Wedemeyer is hoisted into the van by three people, including a nurse who holds a portable air bag to his throat until his respirator is plugged into the vehicles generator. Maybe he doesnt know any other way. My new book Coming soon:THE RIGHT THING TO DO Duffy and the True 1960s Pioneers, North and South, I couldnt help but think of how many people had helped me along the way. He asked me to take the first two fingers on his right hand and hold them to his mouth, Lucy recalled later. Unable to walk long distances, Cercena uses a wheelchair on frequent walks with her mother around the neighborhood. 1964: Excelled in football, basketball and baseball at Punahou School; named years later as Hawaiis Prep Athlete of the 1960s by a Honolulu newspaper. You can take care of somebody for a week, but when its 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year . Instead, he found another calling. Kaulukukui stocked Michigan States 1966 national championship roster with three Hawaiians who faced Notre Dame in the Game of the Century, Nov. 19, 1966 at Spartan Stadium. 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