A coach's final wish

SANDUSKY — For more than 30 years, Mark Blevins selflessly gave up his time to coach — and, more importantly, mentor — student-athletes attending Sandusky Schools. Though, as a life-threatening disease has sidelined him, he does want just one accolade for himself, which would help legitimize his legacy and bring with it peace. He desires an induction into the Sandusky High School Athletic Hall of Fame. "That's my dad's one wish," according to his son, Shayne Blevins, a 2012 Sandusky High School graduate. "It's always been a goal of his, and all that know him believe it's well-deserved." Dire diagnosis Back in October, doctors diagnosed Mark, a lifelong city resident, with Stage 4 intestinal cancer. "Since July, he kept saying his stomach hurt, and my dad thought it would just go away," Shayne said. "It got so bad that he went to the hospital. That's when the doctors found out what was wrong with him." Shayne described the past three months as "rough" on his entire family. Mark, married to his wife of 30 years, Shannon, they have two children and four grandchildren. Fearful his dad could die, Shayne and his wife, Ashley, bumped up their wedding, set for sometime in 2021, to this past December. They did it to ensure Mark's presence. "He made it a thing that he was going to be there," Shayne said. "He kept saying, 'I'm going to do this.' It gave him something to live for." Right now, Mark continues battling as he undergoes intensive chemotherapy treatments. The long-term outlook on Mark's life, however, appears grim. "My dad's cancer is not curable," Shayne said. "It's just buying us a little more time." Commitment to coaching kids Sandusky resident John Mohr recently organized a fundraiser, raffling off sports memorabilia on his Facebook page, Sandtown Sports Breaks, with all proceeds benefiting Mark's medical bills. "We wanted to help the family in any way we could, so we thought our business would be a great place to start," Mohr said. Mohr coached with Mark in various youth baseball leagues across Sandusky. Mark helped develop children competing in the Atom, AMVETS, Senior League and travel ball organizations. Additionally, Mark also coached Sandusky football teams, starting at peewee and up to junior high. No matter the talent level, Mark showed care and compassion toward every child he encountered, Mohr said. But he gravitated to troubled and at-risk youth who lacked a father figure. "I honestly feel like he has saved (many) kids' lives over the years," Mohr said. "People don't realize the dedication and hard work it takes coaching, scheduling practices, scheduling tournaments and traveling all over Ohio, Michigan and more every weekend in the spring and summer and then the same thing in fall with football." Mohr then made a plea: "I am not knocking anyone that got elected in the Sandusky (High School Athletic) Hall of Fame, but four years of playing a sport compared to 30-plus years of grooming boys into young men and not getting any recognition for it … he deserves to be in." In the bylaws, Sandusky High School's Athletic Hall of Fame stipulates coaches can receive enshrinement "if individuals have distinguished themselves as successful adults in their respective careers" and "served as benefactors of mankind." Who better than Mark fits this description, Shayne asks. "All my dad wanted to do was change lives," Shayne said. "This is not about gloating. This is about what's right." Want to donate? The Blevins family welcomes any donation to help offset medical bills associated with Mark's cancer treatments. People can Venmo his son, Shayne, at @shayne-blevins-2 or call 419-366-6069