Ex-South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia, 38, has been diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer and has begun aggressive chemotherapy, he announced on social media Wednesday.
Garcia learned of the diagnosis after several days in the emergency room and extensive testing that included MRIs and CT scans, according to the
GoFundMe page established to help with medical bills. The campaign says he has started chemotherapy with a regimen known as FOLFIRINOX, which it describes as “the most aggressive treatment path available” and notes he will meet with liver and colon surgeons after the initial rounds to map out further care.
The fundraiser adds that Garcia is now focused entirely on battling the disease and says each message and donation reminds him he is not alone. Over $150,000 has been raised toward a $250,000 goal.
Garcia disclosed his illness in a Facebook post,
writing that he “wasn’t overly excited to share this news but it is what it is” and praising his team of doctors and staff who he said are confident he can beat the disease.
“It’s the only option,” he wrote, before urging others to see a physician when something feels off and warning that “the stuff we consume has been altered significantly over the years” as more people his age are being diagnosed.
Later that day, Garcia followed up with another Facebook post saying the outpouring of support had been “eye opening.” “I can not thank yall enough. I really can’t,” he wrote, calling himself “humbled and grateful” and promising to keep supporters updated as he faces a long road ahead.
Garcia’s wife, Masha,
wrote on Facebook Thursday that the past few days “definitely feels like a nightmare and still unreal,” thanking friends and supporters for their help, prayers, and messages. Calling Stephen “a warrior,” she said he has no choice but to beat the disease, noting that she fully intends to grow old together and one day meet their grandchildren. “You’re not going anywhere baby! I love you,” she wrote.
The diagnosis comes weeks after a milestone for the couple’s son, Memphys, a 2026 quarterback recruit.
Earlier this year, Garcia’s son committed to New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college in Roswell, New Mexico. South Carolina daily newspaper
The State reported at the time that Memphys, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound quarterback with a 3.9 grade-point average, transferred to Jefferson High in Tampa—his father’s alma mater—for his senior season and showed mobility and playmaking ability.
The publication reported that the younger Garcia had drawn interest from programs including USF, UCF, Stetson, and Central Michigan before settling on NMMI, a program that has produced quarterbacks such as Roger Staubach, Jordan Ta’amu, and Diego Pavia. Memphys, named after a penguin character in the 2006 movie “Happy Feet,” was a varsity captain at Jefferson.
Stephen Garcia starred at Jefferson before signing with South Carolina, where he became one of the program’s most productive quarterbacks, according to his
biography on the university’s athletics site. The school bio says he ranks third all-time in passing yards (6,753), completions (528), attempts (903), and touchdown passes (43), and notes he earned third-team All-SEC recognition in 2010 while leading the Gamecocks to a landmark win over then-No. 1 Alabama.
