INDIANAPOLIS – How's this for a ready-made Super Bowl story? A Giants rookie is living his dream this week, a reserve linebacker suddenly on football's biggest stage just 27 months removed from radiation treatments to attack cancer.

And as Mark Herzlich basks in this spotlight, he's also crediting a unique cast of characters for helping fuel his comeback. Among them: a former Texas State defensive back, his best friend and a class of energetic women crazy about cross-fit (a core strength and conditioning program).

Where do you start with Herzlich's journey?

He often begins with the timeline – from the diagnosis of Ewing's sarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer) in his left femur on May 12, 2009, to the 168-day chemotherapy battle that came soon after to the major surgery three days before Thanksgiving that year in which doctors inserted a 13-inch titanium rod into his leg.

But to get from there (the exhaustion and mental torture) to here (Super Bowl XLVI), Herzlich had to surf across a tidal wave of sickness and outside doubt.

Football had been taken away from him – potentially forever. At age 21. Just as he was about to enter his senior season at Boston College as one of the top linebackers in the country.

"Every kid has dreams," Herzlich said. "Some people want to be firefighters or policemen. Some want to be astronauts. I always wanted to be a professional football player. To be so close to that and all of a sudden have all that ripped away? It devastated me."

Until Herzlich realized his innate competitive fire also could spark his recovery.

Strong, diverse support group

Initially, realists lamented Herzlich's NFL aspirations with four cruel words.

"That dream is over," Herzlich remembered being told.

So he began focusing on baby steps.

"My thing then was I tried to be the best cancer patient I could be," he said. "My goals were to have energy, to be alert at all times, to try not to get sick from my treatments."

Herzlich also found inspiration in unexpected places. That former Texas State defensive back? His name is Walter Musgrove, who broke his collarbone in 2005 only for doctors to discover he had Hodgkin's disease.

Musgrove dug in, fought back and returned to football quicker than anyone could have imagined. So when he heard about Herzlich's plight a few years later, he felt compelled to reach out.

A unique friendship began. Herzlich now calls Musgrove his guardian angel, a voice of encouragement who always seemed to call when Herzlich was feeling lowest.

Herzlich received so many sympathy letters from folks who had heartbreaking cancer tales to share.

Musgrove?

"They told him he'd never play again," Herzlich said. "But he did. And on the opening kickoff of his first game back, he made a tackle. For me, he offered hope."

Meanwhile, Herzlich's best friend, Zack Migeot, offered lessons in dedication. Migeot canceled his summer at the Jersey shore in 2009, promising instead to be by Herzlich's side during his cancer treatments.

"Sure enough, every morning at 7 a.m., Zack was at my door," Herzlich said. "He was with me at every single treatment I had that whole summer. For what he was willing to give me friendship-wise, I knew I had to get better."

Then there was that cross-fit class at BC that Herzlich used as he began reviving his cardiovascular strength and rediscovering his confidence.

"It was basically me and 25 girls," Herzlich said. "And these girls could run for days. I would compete with them in that way, try to keep up. It was cool for me. Because it didn't have to be this meathead gym stuff. Seeing them go as hard as they were all the time, it pushed me."

'Regular guy who has a great story'

Sure, Herzlich is unlikely to play much of a role Sunday against the Patriots. But the fact that he's here is remarkable. And it's impossible not to hold a profound respect for his positive attitude and newfound perspective.

"He's such a regular guy," Giants linebackers coach Jim Herrmann said. "But he's a regular guy who has a great story. He'll never push it on you. But you can see the air of confidence in him where he's been to death's doorstep and back. … "

Talk to Herzlich's teammates about his remarkable comeback, and they'll first tell you of the inspiration it has provided. From there, they'll acknowledge the contagious energy and passion that he exudes. On top of that, Herzlich's continued willingness to chronicle his experience merits approval.

"As I realized that people were being inspired by my story, it's something I grew to cherish," he said. "It's a choice you have to make, whether you want to embrace your struggles or whether you want to put it in the rearview mirror and focus only on life after cancer. For me, I'm excited about the opportunity I have to help others. To be on a stage like the Super Bowl, this is a great place to get my message out."

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