Homewood-Flossmoor High School head football coach Craig Buzea adopted a new mantra from Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano: We’re going to live in vision, not in circumstance. 

Under his leadership, H-F has set a school record with 10 consecutive IHSA playoff appearances: six quarterfinals, two semi-finals, a state championship runner-up spot in 2014 and two SWSC Conference championships.

Now the Vikings leader is in his own run after being diagnosed with acute leukemia soon after the end of last season. Despite all he’s been through, he hopes to be part of the next season. 

Buzea has gone through three week-long rounds of chemotherapy at Northwestern Hospital, where he spent almost two months. 

But his recent blood work is looking good. He’s been in remission for about 12 weeks.

“I feel great. I feel as good as I have in a long time,” Buzea said. “You have to watch that term (remission) a little bit because you’re not in total remission until the cancer’s gone for five years. But so far, so good.” 

Though he needs to spend most of his time at home, he’s been able to do some walking and even played a few rounds of golf. 

“Nothing is different. I’ve been able to do just about everything I was able to do beforehand, whether that’s mowing the lawn or taking walks,” he said. “A lot of people are getting tired of being quarantined but for us (he and his wife, Barb), it’s not a big deal because we were quarantined about two months prior to everybody else.” 

The coronavirus is a major concern because of Buzea’s compromised immune system. 

Visitors are limited and those that are allowed are met outside and kept at a distance. 

For him, masks and other precautions are mandatory.

Another round of chemotherapy might be needed later this month, just as an insurance policy. That could be followed by a stem cell transplant. A few donors have already been found.

“The stem cell treatment gives you the best chance of getting rid of it totally and prolonging your life,” Buzea said. “But with no leukemia showing up in the blood for 12 weeks, that may not be necessary.” 

Buzea hasn’t neglected his football responsibilities, though. The coaching staff has kept in communication via group texts and Zoom. 

“I’ve been able to keep myself pretty busy, whether it’s looking at film or talking to other coaches, networking with other coaches,” he said. “It keeps your mind off of what you’re going through. You need some type of deterrent and that’s really been mine, just to be able to engross myself into football.” 

He’s kept in touch with some players, too. He gets calls and texts. A few visited before the coronavirus shutdown.

“We don’t talk much about the disease. We just talk about what’s going on, what we’re looking forward to,” Buzea said. “I miss our players. I miss our players greatly. Coaching is all about relationships and I’ve built some tremendous relationships over the years with some of our players, including the group we have coming up. Not being able to see them face-to face or have much contact with them has been very, very difficult.”  

If the IHSA allows summer practice, Buzea won’t be there in person. But he won’t wait much longer.

“Come early or mid August, I’m hoping to be ready to go and be on the field with everybody else,” he said. “It’s been a tough road, but I thank all the people who have been supportive, whether it be people in the community, players, coaches, other coaches from other programs. It really helps when people drop a line or text.”