Alive & Kicking is the autobiography of one of the best
place kickers in NFL history. Drafted by the LA Raiders in 1977, the
334th player out of 335, Rolf was a twenty-two-year-old rookie from UC
Davis - a Division II school. Soon traded to his home team, the San
Diego Chargers, Rolf was in the unenviable position of being a rookie
on the last-placed team in the NFL. That first season with the
Chargers, Rolf broke the team record kicking twelve consecutive field
goals.. September 1978, at a Monday Night Football cookout at the home
of the Chargers' equipment manager, Rolf experienced his first pangs
of the ulcerative colitis which would bring him near death. Assailed
by severe cramps and a fever, believing he just had the flu, Rolf took
the field the following Sunday against the Raiders. But when his
symptoms persisted and tests were conducted, it was concluded that the
young kicker was suffering from Crohn's disease.
As Rolf's fame as
a kicker grew to the point where he had converted 34 of his last 38
kicks, his condition worsened. But with support from his coaching
staff and the public, he continued to play. Finally, during a return
flight to San Diego fresh from a loss to the New England Patriots,
Rolf collapsed.
Rushed from the plane to the hospital, Rolf began
the series of tests and treatments that led to the correct diagnosis
of ulcerative colitis and to the four surgeries which saved his
life. October 18, 1979. Two surgeries later, at 124 pounds, Rolf
returned to Charger Stadium to the cheers of his teammates and a
standing ovation by 52,000 Charger fans, to co-captain a game with
Louie Kelcher. Uncertain of whether or not he could make it to
mid-field for the coin toss, Rolf was reassured by Kelcher, "...if you
can't make it, I'll carry you!" Kelcher didn't have to carry him, but
he did hold Rolf's hand. September 7, 1980, less than a year after
Rolf almost died from inflammatory bowel disease, the Chargers opened
a new season in Seattle. Wearing two ostomy devices, Rolf joined
them, returning to professional football. He went public with his
disorder thus bringing about a greater understanding and acceptance of
the disease with which he was afflicted. And he set the example for
other ostomy patients, playing seven more seasons in the NFL and
becoming one of the best and most respected kickers in NFL
history.
Well known for his generosity of spirit, Rolf began the
Kicks for Critters program to support the San Diego Zoo's Center for
Reproduction of Endangered Species, he has worked tirelessly for the
United Way, and he is a great supporter of the annual San Diego
Chargers Blood Drive begun originally in support of him. Marriage, the
birth of his daughter, adoption of two brothers from Russia, and a
successful business career followed Rolf's years with the NFL. He
created the Great Comebacks program which each year honors a person
who has faced down inflamatory bowel disease and gone on to make a
difference. And finally, he has written this book.
Alive & Kicking
is a story of faith, courage, family, friends, determination, and
survival. Originally written by Rolf to encourage others with
inflamatory bowel disease, it is also an inspirational story for
anyone who has ever faced or who is facing the vissicitudes of
life. In plain yet eloquent language, Mike Yorkey and Rolf Benirschke
use Rolf's story to inspire each of us to perservere, to overcome, to
succeed. And to take the lessons we learn during the process to make
the most of the life with which we are gifted.
Rolf Benirschke is a former placekicker for the San Diego
Chargers, having played in the National Football League for ten
seasons from 1977-1986. He retired with sixteen team records and as
the third most-accurate kicker in NFL history. Today, he is in the
financial services business with Eastman Benirschke Financial Group,
and he is a sought-after inspirational speaker around the country as
well.
Rolf remains active in the community and serves as a National Trustee
of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and as a
spokesman for ConvaTec, a Bristol-Myers Squibb company. He is also a
long-time supporter of the United Ostomy Association, the United Way,
and the San Diego Zoo. On the hepatitis C front, he united with Amgen
and created a program called "Keep Up The Fight" for hepatitis C
patients, and continues to advocate for hepatitis C public awareness.
Rolf and his wife, Mary, are the proud parents of four children: Erik,
Kari, Timmy, and Ryan. They live in the San Diego area.
Mike Yorkey attended La Jolla High School with Rolf, and served as an
editor of Focus On The Family magazine for eleven years. Most
recently, he is the author or co-author of seventeen books. He and
his wife, Nicole, reside in Encinitas, California, with their two
children, Patrick and Andrea.
