WEST LAFAYETTE — Senior manager Aldo "Aldino" Robles had his heart set on making the varsity soccer program at Harrison High School in 2023.
He not only loved the game but his positive attitude and energy made for a better atmosphere in practice.
"He always has this look on his face that is almost like a chagrin," Harrison soccer coach Bryan Clouse said. "He treats everyone he meets like his friend and its easy to see why the school loves him."
But Robles would have his high school soccer aspirations dashed that summer.
He was diagnosed with three non-germinomatous germ cell brain tumors on Aug. 30, 2023. The tumors, if left untreated, could spread and cause long term damage to other parts of his brain and spine.
Robles, who writes left handed, began to feel tingling in his left foot, hand and the left side of his body. He began to lose feeling on the left side of his body that July. His fingers were locking up whenever he tried jotting notes. Robles also lacked his usual crisp energy.
Subtle signs began to show like when Robles began doing common activities with his right hand instead of his dominant left, his mother Ana Ramirez said.
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Despite the numbness and feelings of exhaustion, Robles was determined to push on and try out for the varsity.
Robles gave it his best but his coach would have to cut him and 15 other aspiring players.
Clouse didn't know Robles' condition at the time.
"That was one of the hardest things I had to do," said a tearful Clouse after Harrison played Ben Davis on Aug. 17. "Going up to him and knowing that I was about to crush this kid's dreams? He handled it with such class."
After tryouts, Robles told his father Luis about his condition. He was rushed into Arnett Hospital Emergency Medicine in Lafayette and was later transferred to Riley's Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.
Doctors later confirmed what his family feared.
"We were in shock," Luis Robles said.
Robles went from being cut by his favorite team to being diagnosed with life altering brain tumors — all in the same week.
"I can't imagine what Aldino was going through at the time," Clouse said. "To being cut and diagnosed with cancer and going through what he did......and yet he still kept smiling."
When asked why Robles didn't tell anyone about his condition during the summer?
"He told me he didn't want to miss out on playing soccer and trying out for the team," Ramirez said.
Robles couldn't attend high school in person after two weeks of attendance because of his condition. He underwent six rounds of chemotherapy which weakened his immune system and was forced to wear a mask.
He was forced to complete homework assignments and projects either at home or from a hospital bed. He still has to wear the mask.
"It was like being back during that period of COVID," Robles said. "It was the worst."
He battled the long lasting side effects of chemotherapy and was constantly nauseous.
But he never fell into a state of despair thanks to visits he received in the hospital or his home from players, coaches and even his own teachers.
"Every time the team visited it helped my mood," Robles said. "They were there for me and helped bring back the old Aldo."
As the news of Robles' condition spread, the outpour of support grew. Not just from within the community in Lafayette and West Lafayette. His story inspired the soccer communities of Indianapolis and Carmel.
Outpour of support from Indiana soccer community
Robles was in and out of the hospital for several months and received chemotherapy to treat and eliminate the tumors inside of his brain.
When Robles was in a hospital bed, bought his friend a Playstation 5.
Team members, coaches and teachers visited Robles during his recovery.
"Aldo is the heart of our team and he didn't give up," Harrison forward Jonny Escobedo said. "We didn't give up and we take that with us at every single game and practice. We don't give up, we keep going and it all comes back to Aldo."
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Robles' family got a major boost financially when Harrison and Carmel came together for a game and asked for donations for the beloved Raider.
Fans and coaches from both sides took donations to help offset the costs of travel, meal and other bills the family endured while Robles went to Indianapolis to receive his chemotherapy.
In one night, both teams managed to raise $8,000 and presented the backpack full of cash to Robles' family at their West Lafayette home after the match.
"(Harrison) has always been supportive of him," Ramirez said. "To see what happened and what's been given in return, it's hard to explain."
Beating the tumors
Robles rang the bell at Riley's Children's Hospital on July 23, symbolizing that he was tumor free.
He is back on the field and ended up making the varsity team after all. Robles keeps stats during varsity, junior varsity games, assists with equipment and passes out water to his teammates. Robles even has his own poster next to the players, holding a soccer ball with fire going through his hands.
He has taken to coaching players from the sideline and encourages his teammates to "Bring it home baby," a catchphrase he's become synonymous with at Harrison.
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"He's like my little shadow," Clouse said. "I can't ever be mad at him."
The road to recovery isn't over for Robles. He is undergoing physical therapy from the partial paralysis that occurred when the tumors first took their hold last summer and the atrophy he faced while recovering from chemotherapy.
Getting treatment in Indianapolis allowed Robles to find a new passion. He wants to become a child life specialist, a counselor for students who are battling serious illnesses.
"I want to be there for kids," Robles said. "I've seen how hard it is when you're in that situation and you feel helpless. And I want to uplift them and encourage them. Let them know they can do it and cheer them on."
Robles also wants to regain the strength he once had and become a soccer player once more.
"I believe I can do it," Robles said.
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached atehanson@jconline.com, on Twitter atEthanAHansonand Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
