Part 3 of a series: Geneva Patch takes a look at 10 people who played key roles in the top stories of 2012, culminating with the announcement of Geneva Patch's 2012 "Person of the Year."
Todd Searcy made a lot of headlines as a football player at Geneva High School in the early '80s and more still as a linebacker for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. But the headlines he made in 2012 weren't about the battles in the backfield or on the line of scrimmage. They were about the hard struggles of being a gay athlete growing up in Geneva, his life-and-death battle against AIDS-related illnesses and his day-to-day challenges with serious, ongoing health issues. In 2010, Searcy was named to the Geneva High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Two years later, he made the courageous decision to tell his story to freelance writer Martha Quetsch, who wrote a three-part series of stories, published on Geneva Patch, called "A Gay …
In this Article:
Part 3: Geneva's Todd Searcy overcomes pain and finds some peace in his advocacy, his art and the friends who have accepted him for who he is.
Todd Searcy stayed with his parents in Sahuarita, AZ, for three years, battling AIDS-related illnesses and the side effects of medications. During that time, the former Geneva all-star athlete had to sell the home he had owned in a nearby community since 2000. And, he had to give up a successful career selling accounting software and hardware because he didn’t have the energy to continue working. Searcy also knew that, as someone with AIDS, he was vulnerable in the workplace to catching a cold or a multitude of other illnesses that could be deadly for him. The situation was demeaning for him at first, he said. “I went from making six figures to nothing,” Searcy said. Since he was able to move out of his parents’ home in 2006, Searcy has …
In this Article:
Part 1: Geneva Hall of Fame and Fighting Illini football player Todd Searcy led a life of success and secrecy.
Former Geneva High School star football player and 2010 GHS Sports Hall of Fame honoree Todd Searcy realized that he was gay more than three decades ago. In 1982, Searcy led one of coach Jerry Auchstetter’s best football teams in tackle points and sacks, as Geneva went undefeated in its regular season and won its first two playoff games by scores of 49-0 and 42-0 before falling in overtime in the semifinal game to the eventual state champion. Thirty years ago, Searcy was named the first-ever Little Seven Conference Most Valuable Player. Despite his athletic prowess, Searcy knew as a high-school junior and honors student that he was not attracted to girls in the same way his friends were. But that didn’t mean he lacked typical friendships …
In this Article:
7:58 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
I enjoyed the articles very much and also everyone's comments. Hopefully, this will further Todd's efforts to educate people and promote greater awareness on the subject. Thanks again Todd for being a man of courage and great strength, to Martha for her insight and good storytelling, and to all who have participated in this discussion. more ›
Mike Longo
11:30 am on Thursday, December 6, 2012
Great, in-depth article, Martha! more ›