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McQuay maintains perspective Brother's illness motivates Purdue center
Posted: Friday March 24, 2000 07:14 PM
By B.J. Schecter, Sports Illustrated ALBUQUERQUE -- Greg McQuay sat quietly in the back of the Purdue locker room and stared at the floor as his teammates celebrated the 75-66 victory over Gonzaga that propelled them into the Elite Eight. McQuay, Purdue's athletic 6'7" senior center, had a typically solid game -- 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting and seven rebounds in 28 minutes -- but at this moment he had more important things on his mind. McQuay's older brother Gary, a forward on Purdue's roster last year, was watching from a bed in a Chicago hospital, where he is undergoing chemotherapy treatments for leukemia. "This is really hard on me, but I have to stay strong because I know my brother is going to make it through this," says McQuay. "He's the strongest person I've ever known." Growing up, the McQuay brothers tore up the playgrounds of Gary, Ind., and Greg says he feels his brother every time he takes the court. "I wear his number [5] on a piece of tape on my finger and I've also written it on my shoes," says McQuay. "He's my inspiration and who I play for." Gary, who was diagnosed with acute leukemia last fall, has remained upbeat through the entire ordeal and wore his brother's practice jersey as he watched the game from his hospital room on Thursday night. After Greg was done with postgame interviews he was eager to talk to his brother. "I just want him to know he's in my thoughts and prayers. I have his spirit," says McQuay. The entire Purdue program has rallied around the McQuay brothers. Coach Gene Keady says it has helped give the team a cause and focus intently on their goals. "This isn't about basketball, it's about life," says Keady. "You see something like this happen and you realize you can lose it all in an instant. If anything, Gary's illness has made us all appreciate what we have." The competitive warrior in Greg McQuay tells him to fight for every lose ball, every rebound, every shot. But if he tires or even considers letting up, all he has to do is think of Gary, who is fighting the toughest battle of all. B.J. Schecter is a Sports Illustrated reporter. The opinions expressed here
are solely those of the writer.
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