Broadcaster Mark Heller (left) with commentator Chris Dade before Saturday’s final game at the showcase at Pacifica Christian. (Photos Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)
Leukemia has made life very tough for long-time Orange County announcer Mark Heller the past year but it couldn’t keep him from following his passion and keeping his commitment Saturday at Pacifica Christian in Newport Beach.
Heller, 57, did the play-by-play telecast of all four boys basketball games of the BSN Showcase, which included a thrilling final game in which Pacifica Christian defeated Arbor View of Las Vegas 69-68.
To see the slide show, please click on the first photo
Heller teamed up with former Cal State Fullerton basketball star Chris Dade, who did the commentary for the telecasts, which were live- streamed for basketball fans.
Considering what he has been through, it was a major accomplishment for Heller to be able to call the games. Heller, a self-confessed “hoop-a-holic,” was in his element Saturday in Newport Beach.
But it was quite a journey just to get there.
Last April 15, Heller said he was diagnosed with leukemia, but despite being in the hospital and having subsequent chemotherapy treatments, he was determined to still keep his commitment to announce the showcase at Pacifica Christian.
During the final broadcast of the night, Heller’s voice was strong and he seemed to be enjoying every minute.
“I thought the broadcasts went really well,” said Heller, a resident of Rancho Santa Margarita. “Myself and Ted Bendrick of TVX Sports Video have been working on projects since 2012. We’ve done lacrosse, football and basketball so we have a real good ebb and flow together.
“And I’ve known Chris since he played at El Camino High School in Oceanside and Cal State Fullerton. We’ve been friends for years and this is the third year we’ve worked together and we’re really getting a good ebb and flow.”
Heller said he has worked four games before when the Nike Classic used to be played at the Anaheim Convention Center.
But this year’s assignments posed far greater challenges for Heller, who had to wear a protective mask and gloves to keep himself safe.
“It’s been a while and obviously the fact that I’m fighting leukemia to do four games in a day, I’ll probably be sleeping for about the next day and a half,” he said.
Heller found out about his condition last April.
“Last April 15, I had a white blood cell count of 163,000 and really should have died. I was in the hospital for 85 days,” he said. “I’ve gone through a total of seven rounds of chemotherapy but I’m living proof that through faith and prayer, you can live and you can fight this dreaded disease.”
Heller did not spend much time focusing on his condition during the broadcasts.
“For me it was really a celebration of announcing basketball,” he said. “I did say it at the beginning of each broadcast that ‘the reason you see me with gloves and the mask is because I’ve been diagnosed with leukemia but here I am announcing basketball today.’ Anytime I’m out of the house or people come to visit, I need to wear this at all times. But you know what, it’s better than the alternative.”
Dade, his broadcast partner, said he enjoyed working with Heller, who also used to call UCI basketball games for Cox TV.
“It’s been great, he’s actually watched me growing up, from doing one of my games at El Camino High School in Oceanside to watching me througfh Cal State Fullerton as well as through my professional careeer,” Dade said. “He’s always been there. He came out to my college graduation when I got my degree over at Vanguard Univrsity and he’s always been a great mentor and friend and dear to my heart and my family’s heart, so it’s been great being around him and learning so much.
“It’s tough with anybody going through the cancer he’s going through, that battle. His wife is also a warrior as well. Both of them are a trust testament of very strong people still giving back to the community and putting a smile on other peoples’ faces and my heart definitely goes out to them.”
Pacifica Christian Coach Jeffrey Berokoff, who was interviewed by Heller after the game, said he was pleased Heller could keep his commitment and do what he loves.
“Mark is an incredible person and he does a fantastic job and I’m so happy he’s getting healthy and I’m really glad he was able to do this for us tonight,” Berokoff said.
Heller has been supported by his wife of 28 years, Mary Heller and said, “without her, I wouldn’t be here.”
The couple have two grown daughters, Marissa and Macarah.
Heller said he hopes that his frank talk about leukemia and his openess in discussing his condition will help others.
“The thing about leukemia only a little over 19,000 people get diagnosed every year,” he said. “We definitely need more people donating bone marrow, because when I found a 100 percent match, even though I haven’t qualified to get the bone marrow yet, the person who was my match was a person overseas. I was not a 100 percent match with anyone in the United States.”
Heller said he was thrilled to be a part of an exciting day of basketball.
“….This was a great tournament that Brandon (Pacifica Christian athletic director Gonzalez) and Jeffrey (Berokoff) are putting on and I’m hoping it will be an event that will happen for years to come.
“The last two games were one-point victories by Windward and the home school Pacifia Christian. And I just love the program. It’s only the fourth year of having a basketball program and they’ve already been to two CIF title games. I think that’s pretty amazing.”
Heller said he hopes the school continues to have the event and that his group will be able to televise it in the future.
In the meantime, he plans on continuing his fight with leukemia.
“We’re trying to get my heart stronger to qualify for a bone marrow transplant,” he said. “If that doesn’t happen, I’m just going to keep doing chemotheraphy. That will keep me alive. We don’t know for how long. I also have a separate mutation and the pill I’m taking for that has only been around for a year and half and they don’t know have enough data yet to know how effective it is. I’m truly living on God’s borrowed time right now and I’m truly grateful for every day that I have.”
-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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