JIM Leahey had seen it all as "Voice of the Rainbows." Then leukemia floored him for an eight-count. But he's back on his feet, ready to go the distance again. Leahey back at home
on the UH airwavesFor Hawaii's listening audience, that's great news.
Sidelined since last September -- including 52 days of hospitalization while undergoing chemotherapy and more than 20 blood transfusions -- Leahey will return to the airwaves tomorrow for the University of Hawaii-San Jose State baseball game at Rainbow Stadium.
Welcome back, Kimo.
Even Leahey didn't think he would make it.
"Ah, I thought this is it," Leahey said of his reaction upon learning he had leukemia.
The aftershocks of chemo treatment made it even worse as he lost his appetite, his stamina, his focus and every hair on his body.
An "incredible, edible egg," he called himself.
"Now it's pau. No more injections to build up the red-blood cells. My blood count is normal," said Leahey, whose familiar voice is nearly back to pre-leukemia decibels.
EVEN his hair is back -- darker and straighter. The beard is gone -- "It wasn't growing right" -- but his appetite is hearty again.
"I still get a little tired in the afternoon. You really don't get back to normal," he said. "You still find yourself looking over your shoulder."
His comeback has amazed everyone. An answer to all their prayers.
"I wouldn't have made it without the doctors and nurses and my wife (Toni)," he said. "They kept telling me to hang in there. They're the real heroes. They're there, every day, doing the best that they can."
The overwhelming support -- through prayers, letters and get-well cards -- from relatives and friends and people he doesn't even know helped, too.
"You deal with athletes, coaches and TV people," Leahey said. "But you don't think about every-day people, especially those you don't know. But they were the ones whose support I found overwhelming."
Three blood drives were held for Leahey -- one at Radford High School, where Toni teaches, and two at Campbell High, where he once taught.
"And I haven't taught there since 1978," Leahey said in awe.
"The outpouring was tremendous. It made me feel like I'm not deserving," said Leahey, who didn't think a story of his return was worthy of the front-page of the Advertiser. "I guess they couldn't find Peter Boy and the Bishop Estate trustees weren't talking."
OBVIOUSLY, his sense of humor never left him.
"I've learned there are a lot of good people in the world," Leahey said. "I believe I've been given a second chance for a reason. I want to help people as much as I can, like they've helped me. I won't take anything for granted anymore. And I want to make the most of every day, one day at a time."
After the Rainbows' three-game series, Leahey will broadcast state high school baseball and girls' basketball games on KFVE. He'll rest during the summer to get ready for a full season of Rainbow sports, beginning in the fall with football.
He especially appreciated the support of the KHNL-TV brass.
"It's good to be back with great people," Leahey said. "The company took care of me. When you're in TV and you're over 50, they can say aloha."
He watched the Rainbows on television this past season and noted that they still can't win a game when it really counts.
"It's true. They can't win the big one," Leahey said. "But someday they're going to win the big one."
Count on Leahey being there when they do.