Pulmonary condition can't slow Foundation Academy standout -- Observer Preps

When Cory Rahman sprints around the football field to make a big play — such as an interception returned for a touchdown, as he had in the regional championship this season — he can usually be heard when he returns to the sideline.

The heavy breathing Rahman, a senior standout at Foundation Academy in football and baseball, exhibits has earned him the affectionate nickname “Darth Vader” from his teammates — not that the dynamic defensive back minds much.

In a lot of ways, Rahman, who has just 52% pulmonary function — the equivalent of only one lung — is just appreciative to be on the field, doing what he loves and doing it well. Rahman has college football programs at the FCS, Division II and Division III levels clamoring for his services as a college athlete.

On a more profound level, though, he’s also thankful to be alive.

Like sucking air through a straw

As a child, Rahman was initially misdiagnosed as having asthma. As Rahman navigated a childhood of playing any number of sports — characterized by natural athletic ability in spite of his thunderous breathing — that diagnosis was not called into question until, one day, his usual doctor wasn’t in when he went to pick up his medications before his Pop Warner football season at age 12.

The fill-in doctor Rahman saw that day felt something wasn’t right. Rahman does not have asthma — in fact, the asthma medications he was taking turn out to have been worsening matters. What Rahman actually has is a condition known as a double-aortic arch, or a vascular ring. The condition involves an artery wrapping itself around Rahman’s esophagus and squeezing — and it is usually caught at a much younger age.

“We ultimately found out it was like he was sucking air through a straw,” said Cory’s father, Jim Rahman.

The doctor had more tests performed, and eventually, Cory had a surgical procedure at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children to remedy the situation. The hope was Rahman’s pulmonary functioning would return to normal, but because it was caught so late, the percentage jump was mild — from in the mid-40s to 52%.

Still, six years later, Rahman is cognizant that had the false diagnosis not been caught, a different fate could have awaited him.

“I’m so thankful that, by the grace of God, that they caught that,” Rahman said. “If it wasn’t for the doctor coming in, I would have died.”

Just go hard

Thankfully for Cory and his family, the knowledge of the condition, and no longer taking medications that worsen it, means he could continue to play sports as normal — sort of.

“He has to listen to his body and work harder than the other guys,” Jim Rahman said.

Judging by the results, it seems he has done both. 

Rahman, who came to Foundation for his final two years of high school after starting his varsity career at East Ridge High, has been a standout for coach Brad Lord’s football team in its two best seasons in program history. He also was the most valuable player of the baseball team this past spring.

“I love having athletes, and I saw Cory and I saw the way he moved and stuff … they (the Rahmans) brought a winning attitude to our program,” Lord said. “He’s like having a coach on the field — has a very high football-I.Q. It’s one of the reasons our defense played so well this season.”

As a free safety for the Lions, Rahman amassed a team-high seven interceptions and also was the team’s fourth-leading tackler. As opposed to Pop Warner, where he played both sides of the ball and often had to take himself out of the game, high school has allowed Rahman to mostly focus on defense — although Foundation had an offensive package where he sometimes took direct snaps for special occasions — and thrive.

Even still, it was an adjustment for Lord’s staff and Rahman’s teammates to know that he was OK when the heavy breathing occurred.

“It’s scary as a coach — you don’t want your player injured, but you want your best player out there,” Lord explained. “So you really monitor it.”

Rahman said the decision to come to Foundation was one of the best he and his family have made — especially after enduring a winless campaign as a sophomore at East Ridge. The family, which has relocated from Clermont to Windermere, is now excited to see how he does during baseball season.

In a perfect world, Rahman would find a college where he could play both sports. But, thinking realistically, he also knows he may have to settle for just playing football.

Of course, a challenge has never stopped this young man from trying — an attitude he is intent on taking with him to the collegiate level and toward whatever else the future may hold

“I know I have to work harder, it’s satisfying to me,” Rahman said. “I never made my breathing as an excuse — I just go hard.”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].