Former East Bay High School wrestling coach, Tom Lota, falls victim to cancer, spreading to his liver
Former East Bay High School’s wrestling coach, Tom Lota, has been diagnosed with colon cancer and it has been reported that the vicious disease has spread to his liver.
The 61-year old was diagnosed with colon cancer at the fourth stage in March 2011. Lota was allowed to take liquids only and he lost twenty-two pounds of weight.
David Baker, a family friend of Lota, said, “That’s why he looks like he’s wearing his big brother’s jeans”. Lota has been having chemotherapy sessions for a long time.
Tom Lota married Lynne on July 11, 1987, and they were having a dinner at a restaurant where Lota was unable to finish his meal due to some abnormal feeling.
He had fever, the very next day, with some abdominal cramps. The former wrestling coach was confined to bed but he recovered after two days of rest.
Lynne encouraged Tom to see a physician and he decided to go to his family doctor, Fred Taylor, at Apollo Beach.
Taylor called Lota after he returned home and said, “Coach, you and Lynne need to come down here right now. I have the report, and I don’t like what it says”.
Taylor told them that Lota will need to undergo a surgery to remove his tumours, present in his body due to the high intensity of his cancer.
Tom Lota has been scheduled for regular chemotherapy treatments in order to shrink the tumours. It will also help the doctors to remove the tumours once they get smaller in size.
Tom is a father of three children, the 26-year-old Lynnette, the 28-year-old Kathy and his son Tommy Jr. is 34 years old.
Lota took retirement from his coaching job with the East Bay High School wrestling team in 2000 to spend some quality time with his family.
Lota coached the wrestling team of the East Bay High School for twenty-four years and had a splendid record of 227 wins.
He led the wrestling team with one regional title, seven district titles and nine Western Conference National Division titles. Tom was also part of the Wrestling Hall of Famer of USA in 2006.
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