Stories Inside the Man Cave
Stories Inside the Man Cave
The Pass Rush with Stevie Lee & Baylor WR, Josh Cameron & his mom, Andrea
What does true resilience look like? In one of our most powerful episodes to date, we sit down with Baylor wide receiver Josh Cameron and his mother Andrea for a conversation that transcends football, touching on faith, family, and facing life-threatening challenges.
Josh's journey from Cedar Park High School to Baylor began as a preferred walk-on, fighting for a place on special teams before earning his scholarship through relentless determination. Now ranked among college football's top 150 players and recognized as a Second Team All-American returner, Josh shares his unique perspective on navigating college athletics in the NIL era. Rather than chasing flashy purchases, this remarkable young man discusses his focus on investment strategies and "keeping the main thing the main thing."
But the heart of this episode belongs to Andrea Cameron, whose story left us speechless. Diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2007 and given just 2-3 years to live, Andrea defied medical expectations for 14 years before receiving a double lung transplant in December 2023. Just weeks later, she suffered cardiac arrest for nearly 20 minutes – a condition with a 99% mortality rate. Against overwhelming odds, she survived, then fought through the grueling process of relearning to walk and talk with one powerful motivation: "I'm not going to miss my baby's games." Not only did she make it to Josh's first game, but she attended every single one last season as Baylor's beloved team mom.
The Cameron family exemplifies how faith and familial bonds provide strength during life's most challenging moments. Their story might just be the perspective shift you need right now – if Andrea can relearn to walk to support her son, what obstacles are truly insurmountable in your life? Listen, share, and be inspired by this extraordinary mother-son duo.
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Fin sends it out wide. Cameron the catch and run. Cameron breaking tackles.
Speaker 3:Cameron into space. It's a Baylor touchdown.
Speaker 4:Stevie Lee. It's been a minute man. We've got a fun episode and I think it's the first mother-son duo and stories inside the man Cave podcast history and it is the second appearance of proud Baylor moms. We had Sheila Henderson, the author, co-author of a book. She was a proud Baylor mom and they were promoting their book, but this is a first and you just saw the son part and both. I'll just say they're the Cameras A belated Mother's Day mom-son story, stevie, and you have ties to them both. I'll just say they're the Camerons. A belated Mother's Day mom-son story, stevie, and you have ties to them both, right.
Speaker 5:Yeah, we still go to church together. Whenever they're back in town, they come over to Summit Worship Center. They're friends. Yeah Well here's your tease.
Speaker 4:You get to see the smiling faces, a lot of love, a lot of happiness right here, big family, and there's a lot to be happy about. We're going to dive into the growing up part for the gentleman in the middle right there and we're going to talk about his path to Baylor. And then some adversity, some serious adversity that his mom overcame and wow, it's inspiring. It gives me chills when I talk about it and from afar, because this has been wow, two years in the making. A lot of prayers have gone out to this woman and they have uplifted. And it's a great story because the son, he's overcome a lot to get to where he is and so has the mom. Stevie, you ready, brother, let's ride.
Speaker 3:Let's ride, baby, but this is just not a proportionate response to drawing a walk. You didn't do anything, dude, you drew a walk while your team is getting absolutely hammered and now you're talking shit to our players.
Speaker 4:Wow, Wow, I've been steaming over this. A 17-year-old freshman, Everybody on Twitter, I get it. Everyone has an opinion. This is not because it's Texas, but I saw all these people just trashing a young man on Twitter. No accountability, I get it. I get it. The traditional baseball etiquette you just take your walk and go. Jonah Williams had a Galveston ball two-way player football baseball. Stevie, first of all, your reaction, because that was a lot. I mean, that's just a small part that I saw of the criticism of Jonah Williams.
Speaker 5:What was your take on it, man? I don't like baseball etiquette, man, because he is out there having fun and you can't do the bat flip, man. If I hit a homer, man, I want to flip this bat as far as I can. So I don't really get baseball etiquette, but I also get baseball etiquette. The person that was talking right there. He's kind of right. You took a ball, you took ball four and you get the walk. Did he take ball four because he's an incredible hitter to where they did not want to pitch to him? Or did he take ball four because the pitcher was just off? And what are you celebrating? The pitcher being off? Or are you celebrating that you are an incredible hitter that you have to take that no one wants to pitch to you? That's fair. Just take the ball four and then just go, just take your base.
Speaker 4:Well, I'll give it. I'll give that to you, but that team needed a spark. Texas has now lost five of the last seven games since being number one. Jonah is full of energy. It trickled down and it carried over into that Saturday game and he came up big after a two-hour rain delay.
Speaker 1:Williams into left center field. That is in there it bounces out to the fence. Two runs in Farmer sent home Base is clearing double for the freshman and Texas has its first lead of the weekend.
Speaker 4:Okay, see, that's the type of kid he is. He does not allow the big-time atmosphere being the number one-ranked team and criticism to rattle him, and I think that shows a lot of a freshman, a young person, in any sport. And our guy that we're the co-guest, if you will, is very similar he's not rattled not rattled at all. Um, we're going to talk about where ut baseball stands. If they're going to win the sec championship regular season because they had, they're on a downward turn right now.
Speaker 4:Uh, but baseball, as you know, it is very, very much a streaky sport, and so we'll get more into that. I am Sean Clinch, by the way. That is Stevie Lee, the co-host of this series of Stories Inside the man Cave the Pass Rush with Stevie Lee. As you can tell, we would not be anything without our sponsor of this series, hargrove Roofing, based out of Stevie's hometown, that being Shreveport, louisiana, and they have trickled their way into the great state of Texas. Stevie, you are the face of Hargrove Roofing.
Speaker 5:Hargrove Roofing know who's on your roof.
Speaker 4:That's beautiful man. You can stand on anybody's roof. I'd love to see a big man like yourself not cave in a roof, but I think you're good. Hey, follow us on all of our socials Facebook, ig, x, youtube and TikTok and, stevie, you'd be proud of me. I finally updated TikTok because it's so much. We probably need to put somebody on payroll to handle that, all right. So I hate this. I hate this when the biggest game of a weekend is picked up by the network which really takes great pride, in their noon kickoff. The rematch from last year's CFP semifinal, the national champion, ohio State and Texas up in Columbus, will be at noon. Your thoughts?
Speaker 5:I like it to be a night game because it's going to be a really big game, but I guess I can wake up early, get on the couch and go ahead and watch.
Speaker 4:With your Yeti of water.
Speaker 5:Yeah, no question, hydration.
Speaker 4:Hydration yeah.
Speaker 5:That's going to be fun, man. I'm really really looking forward to it. Man, I was in Dallas for that game and it really hurt. That game really really hurt man. I watched it on the bench in the beginning of the season, but I hope that these kids have a really good camp and come out and just start. You know, for lack of better words, hitting people in the mouth, it's a revenge game, man. You got to go up there in their house and take their lunch.
Speaker 4:Well, and there's plenty of guys from the CBS Sports top 150 ranked players, if you will. Here they are. I mean, and I did leave off, I just kept some Texas ties in there, there's just not enough space but 100, the top 150 in the entire country rated by CBS Sports for 2025. I mean, you've got plenty of Longhorns. You've got Cade Klubnick from Westlake, number two rated player, the quarterback at Clemson, A lot of Aggies, smu TCU Baylor represented, and a former Aggie quarterback, haynes Keene, from Georgia Tech. He's from Longview, texas. You know he transferred out of Texas A&M to Georgia Tech. Everybody finds their home and there's a tease right there of our guest on the bottom. Let's look at this the Camerons mother son, josh Cameron, the receiver at Baylor University, and Andrea Cameron. Welcome to the man cave.
Speaker 6:Thank you, thank you so much. Absolutely, y'all are cracking me up.
Speaker 5:Hey, I'm sorry about the longhorn bias. I know you guys are bears, I know I can do it.
Speaker 2:Appreciate it.
Speaker 4:I appreciate it. Hey, this is I kind of go back to with the Camerons when his older brother and Josh were playing at Cedar Park. They were playing for state championships back then. Great kids, great parents, families, coaches, great community. We've got a lot to unbundle here, but I've got to get you, josh, your thoughts. When you saw that top 150 list and there was your name at 145 to be included in that, considering when you left Cedar Park I mean only you you knew you were capable of something like that right.
Speaker 7:Oh, yeah, for sure. I think, first of all, just getting included on that list is just super, super huge and it's honestly an honor that CBS looks at me that way. Obviously that competitiveness in me. I'm like, shoot, I'm going to go, keep on climbing, get more up on the ranks. So no, it's definitely cool to see my name up on there and then see my teammate to be watched the running back. He's a dog too, so it's an honor.
Speaker 4:Good. So I got to ask Mom watch the running back. He's a dog too, so it's an honor. Good, so I gotta ask mom I mean anything when you see your, your son or any child uh mentioned or something amongst the elite in the country. I mean you. You gave birth to this young man. You've celebrated everything he's achieved. Was there a tear at all when you saw that list?
Speaker 6:I guess you know I get teary-eyed quite often. Josh will tell you so it doesn't take much for me. So I mean, of course there was a teary-eyed moment. And then there was that moment, sort of like Josh said, where I'm very competitive, so our whole family we're very competitive, and you know I was like well, shoot 145. I mean that's too low, my baby needs to be higher, so hey, but I mean just yeah, it was definitely great seeing him recognized and just mentioned in, you know, in that type of company going into the season.
Speaker 4:Well, stevie, here you go, you can take off on this subject. I got to get a graphic pulled up while you're asking your question.
Speaker 5:Yeah, so the path from a secret park to Bagel we talked about it off camera a little bit. That you came in as a walk-on, correct? Yeah, you were one of those preferred walk-ons. They wanted you to come there. Preferred walk-on. Yes, sir, Preferred walk-on. And so tell us about when did they go ahead and offer you the scholarship and how did they do it? So?
Speaker 7:yeah, no, you the scholarship. And then how did they do it? Um, so, yeah, no, so, kind of beforehand it was back going back to high school. This was 2020, uh, playoffs. And then the playoffs were a little bit later. Um, it was, I believe it was like third round. I had a crazy game. I had like 10 receptions, 100 so my yards, and then like three touchdowns. And then basically after that moment, my coach had a connection to Coach Wetzel. He's basically like the guy who coordinates with prefer walk-ons and just kind of gets them plugged in with the coaches. And so after that plug happened, I basically got noticed by Baylor. We were in contact with the receiver coach, coach Aranda, and the relationship just started to build. So then after that, kind of into 2021, I believe January. Do you remember?
Speaker 7:the day, mom, I can't remember exactly, was it like January?
Speaker 6:Yeah Well, actually at that point they had already offered you a preferred walk-on, actually back in December. Okay so you got the preferred walk-on in.
Speaker 7:December and then just kind of wrestling about where to go.
Speaker 7:Yeah, that's what it was had some other schools look at me for preferred walk-ons as well, but ultimately decided Baylor because one my brother went there, so I was already familiar with it. Ultimately decided Baylor because one my brother went there, so I was already familiar with it. Plus the way Coach Aranda was talking, being able to talk to head coach, and just the way he was basically talking about me. I really enjoyed that too. So, knowing I was going to put my head down, go to work, just kind of grinded all the way freshman year just trying to get on the field because I'm trying to get that scholarship basically. So I was just always in the, uh, special teams coordinator's office coach college at the time and, uh, just always bugging my a coach like what can I do this, this, this, that, um, after practice, getting that lift in every every day my boy, um, so just things like that.
Speaker 7:And so then I got on special teams. Towards the end of the year got to play, play in the Big Toe Championship, sugar Bowl, things like that. So that was huge. Then I had a solid spring that, following that following year, started making my way more on the offensive side, less special teams. Then after that spring I got put on a scholarship. So, yeah, no, it was it was all no.
Speaker 5:And so how did they do it? Did they just call you in the office and give you a scholarship? And so how did they do it?
Speaker 7:Did they just call you in the office and give you a scholarship. You know, coach Randy, he's a real, he's a super low-key dude. His assistant at the time sent me a text saying, hey, can you come to the office? I was like, oh, okay, sure, and then I just walked out. I was like what's up, coach? And then he was like what's?
Speaker 3:up Josh, so we're going. I said what Just like that.
Speaker 7:I was like what? He's like man. I was like thank you, coach, I really appreciate it. He's like yes, sir. So then that's what I call my people. I was crying, talking to them on the phone, and then they start crying. They was driving too. They was like yeah, I can't even see the road, I'm crying. So, and they was driving too, so they was like the crash, I can't even see the road, I'm crying. So it was an awesome moment, though, for sure.
Speaker 5:But that's kind of how it went down, so y'all didn't see it coming at all.
Speaker 7:then Honestly, no, not really. I didn't think it was going to be that soon, because I was talking with Coach, I was like hey, what you thinking? What do you need to see from me type deal.
Speaker 6:So he was just saying, you see, this blah blah didn't give like a specific kind of timeframe. So, yeah, and in all honesty, I know for us, josh's his parents we were really kind of naive about you know how PWOs work, because I really thought I was like, oh yeah, you can you know how PWOs work, because I really thought I was like, oh yeah, you can. You know, take this preferred walk on and you know they'll give you a scholarship sometime during your freshman year. Well, it wasn't until we got into, you know, the football stuff and we started meeting guys that were like seniors and they were still waiting to get on scholarship and you know. So we started to understand, like, how it all worked. And even I don't even know if Josh knows this, but my husband and I we were really really having discussions about like, wow, you know, are we going to be able to keep them there? You know what do we need to do? Because you know Baylor is very expensive. It's not cheap at all.
Speaker 6:Um, so it was. You know, it was one of those things that I mean it was such, you know just God, timing and everything. Uh, because you know, like he said when he called us, uh, that was the end of his first official spring ball semester like he was crying. So I panicked. I'm like you know, josh, what's wrong. What's wrong. You know I'm like, oh my goodness. And it just so happened that, you know, my husband and I, we were in the car together and you know, as he was trying to get the words out and make the words out, when he finally did, yeah, we all just had a big cry, that's awesome.
Speaker 5:That's good for you guys. I know how much those private Christian institutions cost. My daughter just had her signing day today to Avalon University in Kansas City, missouri, to play volleyball. I was going to say she's Missouri to play volleyball.
Speaker 6:I was going to say she's going to play volleyball, that's awesome.
Speaker 5:If it wasn't for volleyball, she wouldn't have gone to college. Yeah, this is a private Catholic school. Oh wow, they take academics very seriously up there. If she didn't get a scholarship, we would probably be out close to $200,000.
Speaker 6:Oh yeah, I totally believe it, without a doubt.
Speaker 5:Yeah, so I'm so happy that she played volleyball. Yeah, yes.
Speaker 4:I'll tell you what, as Josh, since you've been a student athlete at Baylor, a football player, there's been a lot of changes. I mean, you came in, there was NIL, was just a thought, there were all these cases and now we're going to pretty much eliminate the walk-ons at FBS level, expanding, I think, the roster size to 105 scholarships. So this makes it sweeter because you have had to work through it all and earn everything. But deep down, this guy, I remember him in high school. I mean just cool, calm, collected, a leader, everything. And then the reward the 2024 breakout season. And before I show you everyone the numbers he's put up and I know the majority of them were from last season this guy is showing the NFL scouts hey, I can win, make plays in many different ways I mean even as a specialist and it is returnable.
Speaker 3:But he did get away from that original surge. Cameron, with space to move, hits the edge and a stiff arm for Bassett, a convoy in front of him with a flag down behind at the 40.
Speaker 4:so you tell me a little bit about that. I I helped me refresh my memory were you a returner in high school as well, at cedar park I wasn't uh, I'm trying to think.
Speaker 7:I think it was the spring of 2023 season um we got a new special teams coordinator, coach hancock, and so he basically was just like, hey, have you ever done punt return before? I was like what I ain't never done punt return, kick return on a day of my life. So I was like I've never done that. He's like, you know, I coach a dude who had like similar build, you know kind of size like you, and so I think you'd be good back there. So I was like, shoot, I'll do whatever it takes, coach, I'll try it, I'll give it a shot, not thinking much of it, because you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 7:There's we had like guys like moderating four, two guys. I was like, oh, shoot, I don't even know, but I gave it a shot and I turned out to be pretty good at it. I was consistent with things like that and then just kind of kept on stacking and stacking and then just kind of turned out to what it is today. So, um, to answer your question, no, I I did not think I was going to do part return ever, so it just kind of fell, fell into my hands through hard work as well. So it's that was a.
Speaker 5:That was, that was a natural still form right there, oh yeah.
Speaker 7:That's those running back days when I was younger.
Speaker 4:Yeah, For sure. He put Earl Campbell on, put his Earl Campbell name on. Look at that last line on this graphic.
Speaker 5:Second team All-American, all-american, returner, that's awesome, that's awesome.
Speaker 4:So when you look at this, I don't know what you can say, and I know these days, as a college football player, you kind of have an idea. Maybe not so much during the season, but we are in the preseason, if you will, or offseason of next year. You've got to feel good about where you stand for next year's draft entering this season. Am I exaggerating or am I just being biased towards you?
Speaker 7:Oh no, for sure, For sure. I think just keeping the main thing, the main thing, taking care of this season and then working to that next kind of phase of my life, is huge and so it's definitely there, but I don't try to let it like overtake me or anything like that. Right. The main thing, the main thing. But no, definitely, definitely in a good position. Just wanted to kind of stack on to that next upcoming season, so for sure.
Speaker 5:Yeah, yeah, just keep working out, man. You got tremendous upside to you, I think you know, think the base that you have right now. I'm giving your mom and your dad their flowers right now, man, because you are a tremendous young man outside of football, outside of everything else. Just talking to you these last few minutes.
Speaker 5:That's all I'm saying to your mom and dad for raising a cool kid in this crazy world right now. The other thing I was thinking, man, that you did all of this coming out of Cedar Park in these COVID times. So you were in high school, in prime high school, junior senior year, during COVID and remote learning, and trying to figure all this stuff out. I can't imagine doing that, trying to figure out where I need to go to play football next or go to school next during this whole crazy COVID time. So hats off to just a strong base foundation, which is God, I'm sure, with you, and then family. You know what I'm saying. So you guys, you guys done a great job. Andrea. This is awesome to see this young man flourish right now. This is good, thank you so much.
Speaker 4:Thank you Definitely appreciate it Now that's a great story and it's about to get even better as we dive into this. But we got to ask you, josh and Steve and I you know, throughout during football season, he and I we do this series every week and it's not just Texas, it's the entire country region. You guys got off to a really slow start last year and then all of a sudden you guys went on this run and you and I talked about it before we started this episode. You lost some guys on the defensive side, but do you feel like you've got enough pieces and, with the portal and everything else, that Baylor can make a similar run or just play off of how you finished?
Speaker 7:oh, oh, yeah, no, for sure. I think taking that momentum and carrying it to this next season is really just vital. Really, throughout the spring we got to this is probably the most kind of early enrolling and transfer we've ever had since I've been at Baylor. So just trying to get those guys plugged in and connected and just kind of seeing how they just kind of move forward and just kind of climb. That's the spring went on. So I think we're in a great, great spot, for sure, for sure. So I'm just super excited for August 30th, august 29th, I can't remember which day, but to play Auburn primetime. So, yeah, no, I'm, I'm super excited for that momentum. So definitely, definitely want to shoot way, way higher than what, uh, last year was, but last year was definitely a good start, for sure both.
Speaker 4:I'll start with you, andrea, and then josh, navigating this, the nil and the portal arrow. We're all for it. Yeah, and I'll start with you. With you, andres, I said I mean, do you as a parent, what is it like? Because that's a lot thrown at a young person. Oh yeah, opportunities which they should have.
Speaker 6:Mm-hmm, absolutely. I guess the first word that comes to mind is madness, but it's a, you know, it's a mad, mad world. You know, on the on the one hand, I love that the players are, you know, are able to benefit from their name, image and likeness. It's a real blessing with the, the income and you know the, the financial gains that the players are able to make while they're in college. But I think it can be, it can kind of be a double edged sword if you don't have a good support system around you. And you know, because the money is coming so fast and so furious, I think, a lot of times, you know, guys get stuck in the trap of making decisions just based on money instead of making decision based on what's really truly best for them.
Speaker 6:As a football player, even you know, academically, when it comes to getting their degree, there are a lot of things that you have to consider before you just chase money. But you know. But I understand because, like I said, the money. But you know, but I understand because, like I said, the money is, you know, when you don't, when you're not used to having. You know all of this, you know this massive cash flow that schools are throwing at you. It can be, you know, can be really, really just intense. It can be mad. Stevie, I was sharing with Sean the other day that I know for Joshua his offseason was really interesting because we're in the land of poaching now and so there were a lot of schools coming after Josh. So while he didn't get recruited coming out of high school, he got recruited.
Speaker 6:You know teams looking at the portal and you know they're going to pay them X, y, z dollar and they're going to do this, they're going to do that, you know. So that was pretty intense. I know Josh got tired of it all and you know he's like Mom, I'm tired of it, I'm tired of it, but you know, again, it's, it's one of those things, just as a parent watching and going through it, you know, like I said, they're, they're certainly good. You know it comes with the good and bad. I wish everyone had a just a strong support system to help them navigate it.
Speaker 6:So we're just, you know, fortunate and blessed, you know, and Josh has always been very open with us. He's, you know, he's just like most of the calls Josh gets, he's like call my mom, call my mom, call my dad, you know. So he's, you know, but he's that type of guy. He's like, hey, I'm not going to try to figure this out by myself. And you know some guys his age they do, and you know, before they know it, their parents are kind of like what? What just happened? Yeah, that's, you know, that's kind of my, you know my take. And I know there's going to be a lot of refinement along the way, because you know the current system that's in place. It just you know it needs work. But I definitely think it's a good thing and you know I want to see it continue when it comes to taking care of our athletes.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I think what you said is Josh said call my mom, call my dad, because he said it earlier keep the main thing, the main thing. I just want to play football. Yeah, that's great, and staying at Baylor is a testament of what he just want to play football. And staying at Baylor is a testament of what he just want to play football. Oh, yeah, that's good, but let my mom and dad handle the business side, because now it's a business. It's more of a business, right, yeah, and I want these guys to get every penny that they can off their name, their image and likeness, because we had a conversation before. They use my image and likeness and I haven't seen a Don. Still, they didn't use my name, they couldn't use name, but they used image and likeness. Yeah, but I'm so happy that these guys are able to get paid off of their hard work.
Speaker 6:Yeah, their hard work. Yeah, I totally agree. Yeah, they're hard work, I totally agree, that's for sure.
Speaker 5:Again, hats off to you guys for managing that part of it. Give me a hundred grand at 19 years old. I don't know where I'll be.
Speaker 6:I'll say, even to Josh's credit, though he's been blessed, baylor's done a good job with taking care of him and Josh has been a he. His mind when it comes to money is just, it's just always kind of been different compared to some guys. You probably won't really see him with big jewelry pieces or whatever, but you know he can. He can tell you about the stock market, he can tell you which stocks he's buying, and you know so he can tell you about the stock market. He can tell you which stocks he's buying, and you know so. He's always been investment focused and uh, you know, and I, we, we appreciate that so much about him. Um, and he's not, you know, he's not one to just like blow money, he's just kind of like okay. So that's, that's really cool watching as a parent, because we're like OK, he's going to be OK, he's going to be OK.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I think he's like one of my clients. I deal with a lot of athletes and this person make a lot of money, a lot of money in his professional sport and and I said, what do you spend your money on? Because he has an old car he got when he first drafted still and I was like, what do you spend your money on? And Josh, you'll like this, he's like video games, that's it, that's what's up. So he probably got one of those $1,500 headsets, $2,000 chair. You know he got it all. Actually, those chairs can get up to $5,000, $2,000 chair you know, he got it all.
Speaker 5:Those chairs can get up to $5,000, $10,000, you know, oh my gosh? Yeah, I'm sure he has something like that. He's probably I know he's over a $20 million a year athlete, right? Wow, just old car, modest house and he spent his money on gaming.
Speaker 4:Man, so Joshua one thing whenever you have any day trading advice, just shoot for a week. Because, I'm not afraid to admit it, I play a little with.
Speaker 1:Robin Hood. We're sure, with the Robin Hood app, you know, we're sure.
Speaker 4:Here's the one story that a lot of people can relate to. It was tough to watch this from afar because it was just like, okay, who, andre? You're the first person I've never I've heard of it. But when you had to have a double lung transplant and you sent me one of the most powerful photos, the before and after and I'll start with you, josh, I mean you're watching your mom struggle health-wise, to seeing that, mean, it's your mom, and I know you probably had that helpless feeling. A lot of prayers, whatnot, but at any point did you think that you would see her how she is now?
Speaker 7:Just a totally different, much healthier woman. Yeah, no for sure. The whole process was honestly scary and I'm sure my mom will hit more on it here in a little bit. But she actually went through cardiac arrest for like 19 minutes and so that's kind of the reason why she was like that in that photo and I didn't know that at the time. I really just thought that was kind of like a part of the lung transplant process.
Speaker 7:So my grandma and my mom, my aunt, they did a good job of kind of shielding me from that and just trying not to get me too riled up because I was going through school and spring ball and all that. But I think that really just goes to show how really strong my mom is, how brave she is and really just how courageous she is, and I honestly knew that she was going come out on top. Honestly, I remember going down there to help her to relearn how to walk after that and just encouraging her and just seeing that passion. And, um, one of the times when I went down there she actually set a record walking, and so that's, that's something I remember that'll always stick with me for the rest of my life, but not just seeing, seeing where she is now, to where she was then I mean she's, she's the biggest inspiration, for sure that's beautiful man, that is absolutely beautiful man.
Speaker 4:That's uh, andrea, if you, if you will, whatever part of the story health-wise. What exactly was this? Something that had deteriorated over time? What happened?
Speaker 6:Yeah. So I was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis back in May of 2007. And and at that time I was given a you know, it's a terminal diagnosis I was told that I would have two to three years, that basically, I had two to three years left to live at that point, and that was May of seven. The technology, the way the lung transplant technology has changed and has advanced over the years, Back in 07, Josh was four and his older brother was 11. When Josh was four and his older brother was 11. And when they sent me to San Antonio to, you know, be considered for a lung transplant, the doctor said well, we can do the lung transplant and it'll probably give you another two to three years. And so I said well, okay, have the transplant. You're saying another two to three years, don't have the transplant. And you're saying two to three years. So, and again, it was all based on just where the lung transplant technology was at the time. The lungs have historically been under understudied and underfunded, and even, you know, true to this day. But anyway, so my husband and I, of course, we are people of faith and in our prayers, after we, you know, just prayed about it and, you know, of course, got over the initial shock and you know the whole thing. We really believe that. You know we heard God say no to the transplant, that we were going to stand in faith and, you know, believe God for just a miracle. And that miracle came because, from 2007, all the way until 2021, I was, you know, rocking and rolling. Now I was being medically treated. So you know they were doing things. You know I was taking all kinds of medicines. There were different experimental things that came up along the way and and, honestly, my doctors were amazed, they couldn't figure out. They were like we don't know what's going on, because the progression of the disease literally stopped. Because the progression of the disease literally stopped and you know, like I said, it was just the whole process where, you know, it was one of those things where God had his hand all over it. But in 2021, because I was living with such depleted lungs meaning, you know, my body wasn't getting enough oxygen it started to affect my heart. So at that point, the only cure for the pulmonary heart disease that developed was a double lung transplant, and it was something that the doctors couldn't wait on. Any longer is December 31st, 2023 is when I actually received the double lung transplant and and I was doing great, I was, the transplant went great. I was up and talking and doing my thing and fully recovering. And you know, the doctors were like, oh, my goodness, this is the best transplant, my goodness, this is the best transplant. And you know the whole thing.
Speaker 6:And then, January 18th, 2024, which is you know what you have the picture from I was, I was sitting up and I was telling my husband I was like honey, I'm really really hot. I was just like burning up. And I was like, you know, babe, can you ask the nurses, you know, see, if there's a fan or something here in the hospital? So he's like running around trying to find a fan. And you know he couldn't find a fan. So he came back to the room and he was like, hey, I can't find a fan, so I'll just run over to walmart and buy one. And I was like, yeah, yeah, give me a fan because I'm like I'm so, so, hot.
Speaker 6:So in the meantime, my mom is, you know, giving me like cold towels and stuff. But she had to take off to go check on the rehab facility that I was supposed to be leaving and, you know, going into rehab with. So the two of them left at the same time, within about five minutes of them leaving this is what I'm told. I literally just, you know, dropped dead, as they say, and I was in full on cardiac arrest and it was. It took them almost 20 minutes to get my heartbeat back and it was. You know, like I said, the whole thing is just such a miraculous process Because even one of my nurses told me they later found out the condition that caused it, and I can't remember the name. I should have written it down. But the condition that caused the cardiac arrest is a really it's a rare, rare condition and, like I said, I apologize that I didn't get information.
Speaker 6:But this particular condition has a 99% mortality rate. So, like less than 1% of the individuals that go into cardiac arrest because of this condition survive, and these are individuals, like, whether they're in the hospital or not. So you know, and again, that was explained to me later on in the process, and God had his hand on me, even the nurse, one of my nurses, the one that immediately started CPR, she told me. She said, you know, because she was crying and because it was months before I could talk and, you know, do any of that, I literally had to relearn to function in every sense of the word. So I'm having this conversation with her and she was telling me. She said, you know, she said, every time I look at you, whenever I come in here, she said, I just get teary eyed because she said, number one, normally when a patient codes the way you do, she told me. She said, normally they will, you know, try to resuscitate seven, maybe eight minutes max. And she said, but in your case, the doctors, you know just, you know, kept saying let's keep going, let's keep going, let's keep going.
Speaker 6:The doctors wouldn't stop and you know so, even though we're going on, you know, 20 minutes, you know, the doctors were just like no, we're not going to call it. We're not going to call it, and you know. And then, like I said then, when I found out medically what happened and I was just like wow, god, you are so, you know, so amazing. God is so good. So that's, that's what the picture is from.
Speaker 6:And because I had to relearn how to do everything, I tell everyone it's like the hardest thing I've ever experienced in my life. So hats off to athletes, anyone that has to rehab to do anything, because I mean, there were so many days that I was like I'm cooked, I'm done, I just, you know, I never thought I would be able to walk again, even being able to talk. I mean there were just so many things that I just, you know, I never I didn't know if I would be able to do it again, and but I did know that. You know, I always promised Josh, I was like baby, you know, I'm not going to miss your games. You know mama's going to be there, Mama's going to be there, and so that was kind of one of my goals. I knew that, ok, my baby's going to have a game coming up in August and mama's got to be there. So that was my goal. And I was at his first game and I was at every game this season. So it was just such a blessing yeah.
Speaker 4:That is. And to add to it, you've earned a new title and you can put on your resume if you'd like. It may already be on there, but the Baylor team mom job. That's a big title to carry. I mean what? All does your mom have to do, Because that's a lot of work in my opinion.
Speaker 7:I don't even know all the details. I don't know all the details. I know she's got to organize different events and stuff. Now I'm like okay.
Speaker 4:Yes yes yes, that's, I mean you. You literally are an extension of the athletic department, right?
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah, I mean, that's what we do. It's, it's fun, it's. You know, it really is just about keeping things organized and and kind of being that liaison between the parents and the inside the building, so to speak, and making sure that we're straight on everything on our end as parents. But, yeah, no, that's a lot of fun.
Speaker 4:Stevie, who was your team mom at Texas.
Speaker 5:I don't think we had one bro.
Speaker 4:You had Sally Brown Mac's wife right.
Speaker 5:Sally was. I don't know if she was a team mom, but she was one of them. She would do. She would hand out cookies to us as we got on the plane for a away game.
Speaker 6:Oh, my yeah.
Speaker 7:That's fine, I have to up my game then I was going to say hey, mom, you need to wake up at the airport Getting out and make some cookies. I know.
Speaker 6:I know my mother would in a heartbeat. She'd be like oh, oh, we need to make cookies. Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 4:All right, this is where we have fun. We've had some really fun. I mean stories I still laugh about to this day. Josh, do you and your mom have a story that could be deemed man Cave story-esque? That's just as amusing now as it was when it happened.
Speaker 7:Man, I'm trying to think that's a tough question. Give me a little down your fingers song, you got anything Mom.
Speaker 6:I don't know why, but the thing that comes to mind is you and that silly YouTube channel with the whole thing about getting a whooping.
Speaker 3:Oh, I was getting a whooping.
Speaker 7:I was doing the unboxing. I have like a little YouTube channel. I was grinding. I was doing the unboxings. I was doing the little Bean Boozled Challenge, the little jelly beans, with my mom. I was doing it all. I was doing it all. This one video I made was basically talking about basically like the last whooping I ever got from my parents and so I could basically my brother. He basically like put me on a strategy.
Speaker 7:He was like, all right, bro, so look, that's what you got to do for it to hurt less, right before you get whooped just clench your butt, cheeks I was trying to get the woman, uh, and I did that, and so right before my dad whooped me, I clenched up and then I hit, hit. I was like, oh shoot. I actually started laughing because it didn't hurt at all.
Speaker 3:It didn't hurt at all.
Speaker 7:And so I was just looking like okay. And so then after that basically that was the last whoop I received my dad went back to my mom and was just like hey, I think we need to try something different. We need to start taking electronics because I think you done grew up the whoopin'. That whole story is on my YouTube channel, who's also a creator, that's a good one.
Speaker 6:His brother told him to squeeze up his booty cheeks. Squeeze those butt cheeks and that would absorb the pain, and he literally broke my husband. As a result, my husband lost his will.
Speaker 5:I think we got to try something else. Oh man.
Speaker 2:Oh man, that's a good one.
Speaker 6:No, we stayed up for hours talking about that, I was like man, oh, man, that's a good one. No, we stayed up for hours talking about that. I was like listen. I'm trying to encourage my husband. Like, come on, man, get back in the game, you can do this, you can do this. That's the truth. My husband's like babe the boy laughed at me.
Speaker 3:The boy laughed at me.
Speaker 4:He's those cheeks man. I wish I would have done that, oh my God. Hey, it hurts me worse than it hurts you, Did you? Ever hear that Literally, stevie, we're going to end this episode when we end it here, in about 15 minutes, don't you feel?
Speaker 5:inspired by them? No, no question. So you know, the boy-mom relationship is similar to the daddy-daughter relationship. Yeah, for sure. I'm sitting here smiling with you guys. I love it. My two babies are my heart man. My two girls. I got two girls and you have two boys.
Speaker 5:Andrea. They're in my heart. I'm hoping that I have a relationship with my baby when she goes off to college. Like this, she's leaving in August. Hats off to you guys, man, it's fun talking to y'all. Great story I now have a. Now that we don't play the University of Texas and Baylor don't play each other in the regular season yeah, now I have a favorite bear.
Speaker 7:I appreciate it, I appreciate it I have a favorite bear, thank you.
Speaker 5:Thank you. When Longhorns aren't playing, it's sick them right. There you go. Sick them bears, man. So go out there and do your thing, man. Good luck this season. Work hard this offseason, man. You know what to do. Just work hard this offseason. Put your head down and make the main thing the main thing, and just play football. Yes, sir, sage, advice Play football and your mom and dad got your back. They'll handle all of the rest for you, but you just stay between that. What is it? 53 yards by 110, 120 yards.
Speaker 3:That's all you need to do, man.
Speaker 7:Yes, sir, that's, it.
Speaker 5:And keep returning that ball.
Speaker 7:Yes, sir.
Speaker 4:Stevie relay the message you tell your lovely wife whenever she starts thinking negativity. What do you tell her?
Speaker 5:Yo get out of your head. It's scary in there, that's hard, that's hard.
Speaker 7:Yeah, I'm going to keep that one. I'm going to keep that one.
Speaker 4:We're going to be pulling for you, Josh, and the entire Cameron family. For sure I've got allergies right now. You can tell I'm choking up. I'm not sad.
Speaker 5:No, you're crying. You're crying because of the story. Man, it's okay to cry. Man, it's okay to cry. Oh gosh, Jeez, man, oh my gosh.
Speaker 7:Thank you all so much. I appreciate y'all.
Speaker 6:Yeah, thank you so much. I appreciate this and just y'all giving Josh the opportunity to talk about his story and all of that, so we just appreciate being on with y'all.
Speaker 4:We appreciate you guys because it's a great story, it's inspiring and you guys are amazing people. On top of all that, we're going to take a quick break and before you guys leave, you could probably I want y'all to see Stevie acting, but when we come back we're going to try to figure out how the Texas baseball team can win the SEC. It's not as hard as you think. Plus man, we got a kid who stuck his hand in a cardinal bitum and he doesn't understand why. A little eight-year-old has some choice words that he's probably going to get a whipping for and maybe he should have clenched his cheeks. Much love to the Camerons and we'll see you on the other side.
Speaker 3:Joe Much love. No, thank you.
Speaker 2:Here at Hargrove Roofing we try to think outside the box, to kind of get the creative juices flowing. So I brought in my friend Stevie Lee, former defensive tackle for the Texas Longhorns. He's going to help the team strategize, really motivate them. Light a fire.
Speaker 5:This guy's going to block down. This guy's going to block down. You put your butt into the guard and that way my Mike linebacker gets free to do what.
Speaker 2:Not only are they going to learn a thing or two, but they're going to also leave with a great attitude and a bunch of smiles on their faces.
Speaker 7:I'm sorry. What does this have to do with roofing? Exactly?
Speaker 3:Get out Right now.
Speaker 2:I said get out For me. That's what it's all about. It's just having fun making our employees have a great time.
Speaker 3:Hargrove Roofing. Know who's on your roof? I fucking tell you to take, you take. Don't tell me you don't see it. You fucking look. You understand, I don't give a shit. Like I said 15 minutes from now, you don't give a fuck, you walk out of here. I gotta live with this motherfucking, fucking, embarrassing game the rest of my fucking life. I have totally fucking failed you guys. We got beat at every single fucking part of this. Everything, everything, everything. Infield play two out hitting everything. Totally fucking stupid. I'm sorry, I apologize, I have totally let you down.
Speaker 4:Great Agui Garrido. Hey, he knew what he was doing. But when you play uncharacteristically and honestly, the current Longhorns great team, they've lost their number one pitcher for the year and I think that has hurt them because they're trying to get that rotation together in their bullpen Stevie. They have lost five of the last seven games but you know know they were number one. They're probably still going to be a national top eight seed when the regionals start. Um, I don't think there's a lot of panic, but there is a concern now that this team may not be a college World Series team as of this moment.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I don't think that. I think that we're still a World Series team. I mean, just five out of the last seven we were ranked number one in the country. It's just a mid-season slump right now and we can get back on track. Let's not throw out the baby with the bath. You don't want to do that, you don't. So I don't think that we're down and out. We may be down right now, but we're not out.
Speaker 4:Well, the hitting is now struggling. They had one big inning in that game too, against Florida. Granted Florida's good, but they let a freshman pitcher pretty much dominate them. If I remember correctly, on Sunday, they've got to get the run production back.
Speaker 4:They've got to figure out this pitching rotation and they enter the last week of the regular season this weekend at Oklahoma. Oklahoma is now below 500 in the SEC. If I did my math correctly and I think I'm usually accurate correct me if I'm wrong, if you're watching Texas just needs to win one game in Norman of the three to clinch at least a share of the SEC regular season title.
Speaker 5:Okay, I don't know that one, I can't correct you. Yeah, so that, yeah, so that's what I'm saying. We're maybe down right now, but we're not out.
Speaker 4:No, they're not out, but I'm looking at longevity. Can they repair this to where I think they can get out of there, because they're going to host a regional. If they win that, they're going to host a super regional. I think they'll get out of a regional. Okay, I don't think the SEC tournament is important. I think they do need to utilize it to get their staff pitching staff and get that swagger back in their lineup, because they've got dudes and they've got the best closer in the game, if not one of the best. But I think they have not had any slumps in this season until now. Late yeah, is this enough time? I think they can get it together, but it's just. Baseball is a funky game. It'll break your heart, it's streaky. So win one at OU, because OU is going to be desperate now to get back on the winning ways.
Speaker 4:Now you live up near Cedar Park man. I went with a fraternity brother of mine. He lives in Cedar Park. I hadn't been to the HEB slash Cedar Park Center since I was in the media and the AAA affiliate of the Dallas Stars. Dude this atmosphere right here. Off the chain. That game they won that playoff series against Grand Rapids Michigan. They were down 4-1, 3-4, 4-1, came back and won in double overtime. That place was on its feet, jumping, jumping Good stuff. Have you been to that arena for?
Speaker 5:a while I've been to the arena. I haven't been to a hockey game yet.
Speaker 4:Dude, you got to. I'm telling you, you, everyone watching bring your mamas Belated Mother's Day gift, take them to a Texas Stars playoff game. And guess who was sitting next to me on this side? Who's that? My urologist. Are you serious? Dr Carl Bischoff urologist, big shout out. He's seen a lot of things of mine. He's really good at it. Well, good at being a urologist. Big fan of Dr Bischoff. This video is kind of disturbing the tick-tocking and the man cave. A little kid put his finger up to what looked like a cardinal and didn't understand why this happened. It's all about cause and effect.
Speaker 3:Ow, ow, shit. What the shit, shit, ow. Why did he bite me?
Speaker 4:Why are they?
Speaker 5:holding a cardinal. Yeah, that's one question one. Question two is why you put your finger up there. And question three who is this kid hanging around?
Speaker 4:Yeah, he didn't learn that language on his own.
Speaker 5:Yeah, who is this kid hanging around? I mean, sounds like one of my friends he's hanging around.
Speaker 3:I actually hey man, Tell me something good.
Speaker 4:All right, stevie, great episode and we got to end on positivity. Tell me something good, my brother.
Speaker 5:Man, I had something all lined up, but our guest today, that was something good man. So happy that Andrea is here still with us with her son doing great things and her husband Gaze. They're just a good family, good people all around. I'm so happy that we go to church together, we can do life together, but they're they're just good people, man. So she inspired me that you know you can do anything out here, man. Her telling us that she had to relearn to walk and she wanted to go to her son's game. So she made that a goal of hers, pushed herself, she pushed herself so she can to go to her son's game.
Speaker 5:So she made that a goal of hers, pushed herself she she pushed herself so she can make it to her her baby's game and so, um, that's inspirational man and I'm sure she, he, she inspired uh, josh, and josh inspired her. So that was. That was really cool to hear. That's something good. That's something I will always take with me, man, the adversity that she has gone through and they have overcome and they're still overcoming it. That's an awesome story, awesome comeback story from a great family, personal friends of ours.
Speaker 4:I'll tell you something good, and I'm going to be a little vulnerable here. I'm a great family, personal friends of ours. I'll tell you something good and I'm going to be a little vulnerable here. I won't people. I'm going to do a coffee with clinch episode, strictly on this. But I'm just going to not share everything that I've shared with Stevie. But I think everyone this is get therapy, therapy.
Speaker 4:I haven't been to therapy in almost two decades. I just had some things in life catch up with me recently and I was not myself for three weeks, really down, not understanding why. Started therapy? About what? Stevie five weeks ago, five or six weeks ago, mm-hmm, six weeks and, to make it short to the point, I really was not feeling like myself. Just nothing positive. I wasn't that extreme, but I just felt low. So we came out with a timeline and so we realized, through this therapist, that I have had something that I've never used before, but I have, since 2019, trauma and significant changes in my life from 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and now 2025 All compiled. What did I do? I just kept going, thinking that I did the work, Packing it all in until it surfaced. I cracked, not going to lie. Now we're on the road to recovery. That's why we haven't done a podcast in three weeks. Got you, that's all good, it's recovery and healing.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 5:I want to encourage people to do that. Yep, well, I've said this to you, man, I got your back, I got you me. You call I got you man, um, you're uh, I don't know if you can call an accountability partner or whatever, but I'm here. Stevie lee is here, I'll. I'll stop pass rushing to come and help you.
Speaker 4:Hey, that's true, brother, I do the same for you and your family, for sure I know. But there's a lot of uh, lots to gain out of this and I've learned, I'm learning, a lot that I just didn't take the time to stop and do. I thought I did Uh. But there's a lot of special people in our lives and, stevie, much love to you, brother, appreciate you, you too, man, you too. So for the great city of Shreveport, louisiana, the hometown of the Stevie Lee and the hometown of Hargrove Roofing, much love to the Hargrove family. We love them. They're fine. Americans Support them and you know we've got hellstorms galore even this time of year. Call Hargrove Roofing, stevie, what do you say to that?
Speaker 5:Hargrove Roofing Know who's on your roof 100%.
Speaker 4:And to Mike, the town that is the home of my college alma mater, stephen F, austin, in Nacogdoches, texas, in Texas, in the red big streets of downtown NAC, go visit, and behind the pine curtain. And to my beautiful hometown, austin, texas, and to you, the beautiful people watching and listening to these episodes much love to you and to everybody Share, like, follow. We appreciate you guys. And to everybody everybody, thank you, thank you. And to the OG man Cave boys, that being Harbaugh, harge, big Mike and knee coach Mo.
Speaker 7:What do we tell them?
Speaker 2:Stevie Lee, we out. You see the drip and.
Speaker 5:I'm fitted up, I'm in my car, in a Gideon. I said get out. I said get out.