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Huenefeld overcomes brain tumor to wrestle
PREP WRESTLING
By Marc Zavala
marc.zavala@theindependent.com
CENTRAL CITY — When you look at Nebraska Christian’s Conrad Huenefeld, you just see a normal kid.
That’s what he wants to be. Huenefeld is a first-year wrestler for the Eagles, wrestling at 171 pounds.
“Wrestling is OK,” he said. “The days at the meets get long. I’m glad I tried it.”
But there is more to Huenefeld’s story. When he was 5-years-old, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Before he was diagnosed, his left eye was drifting out and he had a tremor in his left hand. The Huenefelds went to a pediatric neurologist and spent an hour with the doctor and he had no idea what was wrong. Then the doctors did an MRI on him and revealed a golf-ball sized tumor behind his right eye accompanied by a cyst that occupied more than half the right side of his head. The doctors told the parents that the only way he could have still been alive with such a large growth was that the tumor was growing slowly and that he was likely born with it.
Four days later, there was surgery. The tremors in his hand ceased but he has never regained any useful sight in his left eye.
“They found that the tumor had been there so long that his skull was bulging out because of it,” said Dan, Conrad’s father. “Before they discovered it, they really had no idea what was wrong with him.”
MRI tests two years later reveal that the tumor had returned, only instead of being one it was numerous ones in various parts of his brain.
The oncologist who worked on Conrad recommended a protocol that was for 52 weeks of chemotherapy. For several months following the chemotherapy, he would have no immune system of his own. With five siblings, Dan and Linda said that the chemo route was out of the question for Conrad.
They ended up choosing a treatment from a clinic in Houston. It showed some success but after 18 months, MRI tests revealed tumor growth in both size and numbers.
In January 2002, the Huenefelds discovered a treatment developed in Mexico. They take Conrad on an annual basis to stop the tumor from growing. Another trip is set after the state wrestling tournament. So far, they see no growth in the tumor.
“The treatment down there has kept the tumors in check so far,” Linda said. “We really have not seen any growth.”
Conrad said the trips to Mexico can be hectic.
“Sometimes it takes a long time to get across the border every day,” Conrad said. “The treatments don’t take long and we try to find fun things to do while we’re there.”
Wrestling has been a big part of the Huenefeld family. Brothers Cody and Caleb were four-time qualifiers for Aurora, while Caden is a four-time qualifier for Nebraska Christian. Caleb was part of the Huskies’ four-year run as Class B state runner-up from 2002-2005, along with being a two-time individual champ in 2004 and 2005.
But wrestling wasn’t something that Conrad was interested in at all.
That changed one day when Linda noticed a scratch on his ear. She asked Conrad where he got that.
“He said to me, ‘Oh that,’ and said that he got from wrestling with some kids after school,” Linda said. “The idea popped into my mind and I asked him if he was thinking about going out for wrestling and he said yes after a while.”
The rest is history. Conrad has a scar on the left side of his head from the surgeries he’s had, which is also where the tumor is. The Huenefelds tried to find the perfect headgear to not only protect his head but also to not draw attention with the scar he has on his head.
“We talked about that and he didn’t want (to draw attention),” Dan said.
The entire Huenefeld family is happy to see Conrad out for wrestling, especially after all he’s been through his whole life — especially his brothers. Cody and Caden are at most of Conrad’s matches. After Conrad won his first varsity match, Cody called Caleb, who now lives in Arizona, on his cell phone to tell him the news.
“That’s how close all the brothers are,” Linda said. “They were all excited for Conrad. Conrad wants to do what his older brothers did and compete. Wrestling has been a good experience for him.”
For the season, Conrad is 9-20. Nebraska Christian coach Terry Elge said he’s liked what he has seen from Conrad.
“I’ve been impressed with what he has done so far,” Elge said. “He’s got nine wins at 171. That’s great because 171 is usually a tough weight class to start out at. He’s learning more instinctive all the time. I don’t think he’s done much competitive sports at all up to this year. He’s just a great kid who’s been through a lot his whole life, even though he has never really says a lot about his illness. There has been nothing that ever limits him mentally and physically.”
And the family is happy that Conrad has been able to put the tumor aside and just try to live a normal life.
“I’m proud of the courage he has shown, not just in wrestling, but his whole life,” Dan said.
That’s what he wants to be. Huenefeld is a first-year wrestler for the Eagles, wrestling at 171 pounds.
“Wrestling is OK,” he said. “The days at the meets get long. I’m glad I tried it.”
But there is more to Huenefeld’s story. When he was 5-years-old, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
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| Nebraska Christian's Conrad Huenefeld (top) tries to maintain control of Neil Boston of Adams Central of during their 171-pound opening-round match at the Crusader Wrestling Invitational on Saturday at GICC. Boston won the match, 10-5. (Independent/Barrett Stinson) |
Four days later, there was surgery. The tremors in his hand ceased but he has never regained any useful sight in his left eye.
“They found that the tumor had been there so long that his skull was bulging out because of it,” said Dan, Conrad’s father. “Before they discovered it, they really had no idea what was wrong with him.”
MRI tests two years later reveal that the tumor had returned, only instead of being one it was numerous ones in various parts of his brain.
The oncologist who worked on Conrad recommended a protocol that was for 52 weeks of chemotherapy. For several months following the chemotherapy, he would have no immune system of his own. With five siblings, Dan and Linda said that the chemo route was out of the question for Conrad.
They ended up choosing a treatment from a clinic in Houston. It showed some success but after 18 months, MRI tests revealed tumor growth in both size and numbers.
In January 2002, the Huenefelds discovered a treatment developed in Mexico. They take Conrad on an annual basis to stop the tumor from growing. Another trip is set after the state wrestling tournament. So far, they see no growth in the tumor.
“The treatment down there has kept the tumors in check so far,” Linda said. “We really have not seen any growth.”
Conrad said the trips to Mexico can be hectic.
“Sometimes it takes a long time to get across the border every day,” Conrad said. “The treatments don’t take long and we try to find fun things to do while we’re there.”
Wrestling has been a big part of the Huenefeld family. Brothers Cody and Caleb were four-time qualifiers for Aurora, while Caden is a four-time qualifier for Nebraska Christian. Caleb was part of the Huskies’ four-year run as Class B state runner-up from 2002-2005, along with being a two-time individual champ in 2004 and 2005.
But wrestling wasn’t something that Conrad was interested in at all.
That changed one day when Linda noticed a scratch on his ear. She asked Conrad where he got that.
“He said to me, ‘Oh that,’ and said that he got from wrestling with some kids after school,” Linda said. “The idea popped into my mind and I asked him if he was thinking about going out for wrestling and he said yes after a while.”
The rest is history. Conrad has a scar on the left side of his head from the surgeries he’s had, which is also where the tumor is. The Huenefelds tried to find the perfect headgear to not only protect his head but also to not draw attention with the scar he has on his head.
“We talked about that and he didn’t want (to draw attention),” Dan said.
The entire Huenefeld family is happy to see Conrad out for wrestling, especially after all he’s been through his whole life — especially his brothers. Cody and Caden are at most of Conrad’s matches. After Conrad won his first varsity match, Cody called Caleb, who now lives in Arizona, on his cell phone to tell him the news.
“That’s how close all the brothers are,” Linda said. “They were all excited for Conrad. Conrad wants to do what his older brothers did and compete. Wrestling has been a good experience for him.”
For the season, Conrad is 9-20. Nebraska Christian coach Terry Elge said he’s liked what he has seen from Conrad.
“I’ve been impressed with what he has done so far,” Elge said. “He’s got nine wins at 171. That’s great because 171 is usually a tough weight class to start out at. He’s learning more instinctive all the time. I don’t think he’s done much competitive sports at all up to this year. He’s just a great kid who’s been through a lot his whole life, even though he has never really says a lot about his illness. There has been nothing that ever limits him mentally and physically.”
And the family is happy that Conrad has been able to put the tumor aside and just try to live a normal life.
“I’m proud of the courage he has shown, not just in wrestling, but his whole life,” Dan said.
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