The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1502339
TRACKING THE PACK JULY/AUGUST 2023 ■ 15 BY TIM PEELER About a year ago, former NC State wide receiver Rich- ard Washington started hav- ing significant stomach pains. Doctors thought it might be an ulcer, and an ultrasound suggested the same. It was a bother but didn't hinder his ability to hold a full-time job with the Lee County (Fla.) School District or to take the virtual classes he needed in pursuit of a so- ciology degree through the NC State Reconnect program, which offers former student- athletes the opportunity to finish their schoolwork. "I had just been inducted into the Lee County Sports Hall of Fame, and I made the decision that I wanted to get my degree," he said. "My dream had always been to make the NFL, but that didn't happen, so I told myself it was time to start working on a degree." But medical treatments were ineffective. The sharp pain "just kept going and going," Wash- ington said. One day last winter, while he was driv- ing from school to school in his role as building maintenance supervisor, he had to pull over on the side of the road. The pain became unbearable, and he asked doctors for more tests. A Feb. 1 endoscopy revealed something that no 39-year-old without serious health issues would have ever expected: cancer in the lower half of his stomach. Doctors told him immediate sur- gery was required, followed by multiple rounds of chemotherapy to remove any remaining cancerous cells. Washington spent nearly two weeks in the hospital, unable to get out of the bed for most of that time. The good news, though, was that the cancer had not spread. "I went from being one of the fastest guys on a nationally ranked football team to not being able to walk," Washington said. "Everything came at me so fast." For the second time in his life, he had to drop out of school, this time to take care of his health. Washington asked for some financial help, setting up a GoFundMe page (https://gofund.me/0f441cac) with a goal of raising $5,000 to help offset some of the bills for the father of two, 19-year-old son Joriell and 3-year-old daughter Zoe. Wolfpack fans responded, with both money and words of encouragement via social media. "Going through this really, really makes me believe I picked the right school 20 years ago, because NC State fans have been awesome," Washington said. "Ever since I was diagnosed, they have been cheering on everything I write on Twitter and other social media. They have been 100 percent behind me. "That's been the best thing about what I have been going through." Washington was part of coach Chuck Amato's big recruiting push into South Florida, the area he had re- cruited so successfully while at Florida State. Extremely fast, a little un- dersized and sure-handed, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound back was one of the most highly touted prospects ever recruited by the Wolfpack. He was ineligible to play his first season but became a regular target for quarterbacks Philip Rivers in 2003 and Jay Davis in 2004. He's probably best remem- bered for catching two of Riv- ers' final 5 touchdown passes, plays of 45 and 14 yards that were part of the all-time ACC passing leader's 475-yard farewell performance in a 56- 26 victory over Kansas in the 2003 Tangerine Bowl. Washington was dismissed from the team just prior to the start of spring practice in 2005. He was eligible for the NFL supplemental draft but was not taken. His football career effectively over, he returned to his hometown of Fort Myers and began working for the local school district. Still, he had ambitions of working with student-athletes as a coach or athletics administrator, which is why he enrolled in the Reconnect program in 2022. He re-enrolled in classes for the first summer session, getting his academic pursuits back on track. In late June, Washington's doctors told him he had just one more chemotherapy treatment. "I don't want to get too happy just yet," he said, "because a lot can still happen." Then again, so can other things, like the former receiver's pursuit of his NC State degree. Tim Peeler is a regular contributor to The Wolfpacker and can be reached at tmpeeler@ncsu.edu. Former NC State Wideout Richard Washington Lauds Wolfpack Community Amid Cancer Battle Although hampered by injuries, Washington totaled 73 catches for 848 yards and 8 touchdowns during the 2003 and '04 seasons. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS