Towson student-athlete puts family before personal dream

This fall, Towson University sophomore Rich Beecher finally had his dream in his hands -- he had walked on to the Division I school's men's lacrosse team.

On March 5, Beecher will hand that dream over, at least for now, and donate half of his liver to his uncle.

Beecher played lacrosse and football in high school, along with graduating as a member of the National Honor Society.

He had varsity experience at lacrosse, but had never won accolades or postseason recognition. When he came to Towson as a freshman, he tried out but didn't make the team. Still, Beecher asked the coaches what he could do to remain a part of the team and gladly accepted the job of filming.

Beecher spent 18 lacrosse games, videocamera in hand, perched on top of press boxes where he endured the frigid February, the windy March, the wet April and the hot May. While he wasn't filming, Beecher was working out.

"All Beech talked about for 365 days was trying out for the team again and making it this time," said Jay Horowitz, Towson's senior captain. "He's been a great influence on everyone in our program. He's always positive, always upbeat and always ready to go."

A finance major, Beecher earned a perfect grade-point average in the fall and was inducted into the Society of Collegiate Scholars. But the defenseman was most thrilled that his dream of playing college lacrosse was going to be a reality.

Towson had gone 14-4 last season in men's lacrosse, winning the conference championship and making it to the NCAA tournament semifinals. Beecher was going to be a part of all that.

But shortly after Beecher made the team, his father told him that his uncle, Don Beecher of Parish, New York, was in desperate need of a liver transplant because of advanced liver cancer.

"Dad told me he was going to donate his liver to my uncle," Rich recalled. "I said, 'If you can't, I will.' "

The younger Beecher turned out to be a perfect match for his uncle.

On March 4, Beecher will be on CBS' "The Early Show" with Bryant Gumbel.

The next day, Beecher will undergo surgery at New York University Hospital, where surgeons will remove about half of his liver. He'll sit on the sidelines -- for both lacrosse and school -- this season and hope for the best.

"I don't regret making this decision," Beecher said. "My family comes first. I've always been surrounded by very supportive people. I wasn't raised to look the other way on these kinds of things."

"I understand the risks involved. I've talked with all the doctors who have explained what could happen and the consequences. But I'm very close to my uncle, and I'm going to do this for him. I love playing lacrosse, and I love just being a part of it. Things will work out and I'll be back."

-- Kay Hawes