Iowa State coach Steve Prohm inspires sick teen: 'He's been through hell and back'

Tommy Birch | The Des Moines Register

Show Caption Hide Caption Iowa State coach Steve Prohm helps and inspires sick teenager Iowa State men's basketball coach Steve Prohm went out of his way to help 15-year-old Michael McDonough during his battle with Stevens-Johnson

OELWEIN, Ia. — In the living room of the McDonough family home, there's a hospital bed in front of the fireplace. It has all sorts of medical machinery next to it. Draped across the bed is a cardinal and gold Iowa State blanket, covered with Iowa State football helmets and the school logo.

Since March, this has been Michael McDonough's most prized possession.

“He never had a security blanket as a little kid and was never attached to a small animal,” his mother, Amy McDonough, said. “But as a 14-year-old, he became very attached to his Iowa State blanket. I think it was his identity.”

In March, Michael, then 14, was besieged by a flesh-eating disorder that nearly killed him. The blanket accompanied him from hospital to hospital, across Minnesota, Iowa and even Massachusetts as doctors worked to save him.

Iowa State has always been an important part of Michael's life. He grew up cheering for the Cyclone football and basketball teams.

But since his struggles with Stevens-Johnson syndrome began, Iowa State became a source of inspiration. And now, it's a source of support, directly from the coaches and players he follows so closely.

“His story,” Iowa State men's basketball coach Steve Prohm said, “it’s unbelievable.”

'I've been through hell'

That story began in March.

That's when Michael was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Stevens-Johnson is a rare disorder that is often caused by a reaction to an infection or medication. Michael developed the disorder from taking an anticonvulsant medication to help with his epilepsy.

When he broke out with a rash, Michael's dad, Ken, looked up some of the symptoms of Stevens-Johnson and realized his son may have it. The syndrome, which causes skin tissues to detach and die, can be fatal.

And it nearly was for Michael, who was flagged with a code blue twice — when he went into a septic shock and then when his oxygen levels dropped too low.

Last rites were given to him. His parents were bracing for the worst, getting prepared to call the funeral home.

Thankfully, it never got to that point.

But there were still tough times for Michael, who lost 90% of his skin, including the entire first layer. He had to go through painful bandage changes that his sister Mary, a pre-med student at Wartburg, would help with.

Michael even had to have his eyes sewn shut so he wouldn't lose his vision. He was also placed in an induced coma.

Doctors also discovered a 100% blockage of his trachea, which kept him from talking from April 17 to July 10.

When Michael finally got home, the family turned their home into a makeshift recovery center. They set up a hospital bed in the living room so they could keep close tabs on him and attend to him if needed. The blanket, which he got as a gift from a cousin, covered him.

"I've been through hell," Michael said.

His mom thought he could use some help.

She found it in his childhood heroes.

'I could just hear the pain in her voice'

Julie Voss remembers when she first heard about Michael McDonough’s story.

Voss, who works as an administrative assistant for the Iowa State men’s basketball team, took a call one day this spring from Amy. Amy wanted to find a way to cheer Michael up. So she phoned the basketball offices.

Voss listened to her story and was moved to help.

“I just felt sick to my stomach,” Voss said. “When I talked to his mom, Amy, I could just hear the pain in her voice for themselves, their family and obviously their child and how they were going to get him through it.”

Michael, who grew up going to Iowa State football and basketball games, would memorize rosters for both teams. He was such an Iowa State fan that when he was staying at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital, he told his parents to shut the curtains so he wouldn't have to look at Kinnick Stadium.

Doctors would also jokingly try to get Michael to take off his Iowa State blanket in the hospital. He refused.

Voss passed Amy's story to Prohm and several former and current Iowa State basketball players. They, too, were moved by Michael's battle.

Iowa State great Monte Morris, now with the Denver Nuggets, recorded a video for Michael encouraging him. Others sent along videos, too.

Prohm sent Michael three inspiring messages. The first came on April 2.

“Just wanted to let you know we’re all praying for you, we’re pulling for you, we’re thinking about you,” Prohm told Michael in the message.

Prohm, who kept getting updates on Michael and kept reaching out to the teenager, sent him a T-shirt and a signed basketball, inscribing the Bible verse Nehemiah 6:3 on it. "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down," it read.

Prohm used another message to invite him to Iowa State’s season opener against Mississippi Valley State at Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 5.

"I just wanted to see if we could help a little bit in his road to recovery," Prohm later said.

Prohm certainly did. Michael said the gifts and the messages were inspiration during his difficult months. His mother saved all the videos for Michael to keep. Even in his darkest moments, whenever his mom would play the videos, a smile would creep across his face, Amy said.

"They really inspired me a lot and helped me out, helped me through the tough times," Michael said. "It's just awesome for a coach to do that."

'He's been through hell and back'

Making it to Iowa State's season opener once seemed unlikely for Michael.

His parents weren't even sure he'd survive. And if he survived, they weren't even sure the invite from Prohm was real.

But it was. In August, Voss called Amy to let them know that Prohm had five tickets saved for them them, including two next to Prohm's wife, Katie, behind the Iowa State bench.

"That was pretty awesome," Michael said.

Michael, who sat with a friend, chatted with Prohm's parents during the game. Amy and Ken sat in the stands behind them all, watching their son forget about everything he was going through that night.

It was just what the doctor ordered.

"The basketball game definitely gave him a spark that he needed I think at the right time," his dad said. "It was the memory of a lifetime."

The game was just part of the fun.

Afterward, Prohm took Michael into the locker room, where he got to meet the entire team. One by one, every Iowa State player shook hands with Michael and took pictures with him. Then, Prohm brought Michael into the postgame press conference and told reporters about how happy he was to have him as a special guest.

"It was cool that night at the game, just having him there and just seeing how much it meant to him and his family to (be) there and put a smile on his face," Prohm said. "He's been through hell and back."

Things are getting better for Michael.

Michael still has to go back to Boston again for more treatments. He has scarring on his legs, chest and chin.

But he's returned to school and is a freshman at Starmont High School. Prohm said he'll continue to keep close tabs on Michael. He even said that Michael has an invitation back to any game he wants to attend. But the way Amy looks at it, Prohm has already done enough to help her son during the most difficult time of his life.

"I don't think Steve Prohm has any idea how he's impacted Michael," Amy said.