Life-threatening scare for Marist track coach

Heintz was an unlikely candidate for the particular type of cancer. He is young (29 years old), an avid runner and in near-perfect health, and had no family history of cancer. It started with a small bump on his tongue last November.

"I kept biting my tongue," he said. "You know how you bite your cheek and keep biting it in the same spot over and over again? It was the same thing with my tongue. It kept bothering me and bothering me.

"Eventually, I went to a dentist, and he said ‘Ah, it's nothing, but why don't you go ahead and get it checked out?' So we did a biopsy on it."

He got the results six weeks later and it was grim: The bump was cancerous, and Heintz underwent extensive surgery in early March. Around 15 percent of his left tongue area was removed, along with 35 lymph nodes along his neck as a preventive measure.

"At first, when we thought they were going to have to remove more (of his tongue and neck area) in surgery, we were shocked because we didn't know what might happen," Marist senior Burke McCarty said.

"We were very worried; we feared the worst ... the track team and entire school were praying for him. Fortunately, it appears everything has turned out well."

Heintz, who took a medical leave for nearly four weeks, has a visible reminder of the surgery in an eight-inch scar that stretches from his left ear to his throat area. However, he has no complaints.

"I feel extremely lucky and blessed that I had so many people thinking about and praying for me, trying to support me. ... it has really helped me through everything," he said. "I know for a fact I'm not going through this alone. The Marist community -- as a whole -- is overwhelming in their support."

This is Heintz's second year as Marist's track coach. He has been in charge of the school's cross country program for four years, leading both the girls and boys to state championships. He has remained in touch with some of his top athletes via text messages and recently attended a couple of track practices. That likely will be the extent of his involvement this spring.

"I'm trying to get healthy and recover," he said. "If I had to tell you right now, I'd probably say I'm out for the season because there's not much left. My priority right now is to get healthy, along with taking care of my family ... I can't handle the day-to-day grind yet of having to be at practice yet every day."