Not everyone can withstand what Jake Olson has been through as a boy and as a father. Cancer took away his eyesight when he was only a child. But he persevered and braved his situation to create history in college football. But his biggest challenge came years after he had hung up his college football cleats, when his son, Rowan, was born. To fight cancer oneself is one thing, but to see your child dealing with it is another kind of pain. But Rowan was made of the same stuff his dad was built of.

The one-year-old just beat the same rare eye cancer that left his dad in the darkness. Rowan was diagnosed with retinoblastoma just days after being born in January 2025. Doctors caught tiny tumors in both eyes, less than a millimeter, but gravely dangerous. But he has now successfully rung the remission bell at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, ending a hard-fought battle himself, and for his parents.

For Jake Olson, who was a longsnapper at USC, it was deja vu in the worst way possible. He lost his left eye at eight months old to retinoblastoma and spent his childhood going in and out of remission with nine total relapses. And by age 12, the fight took his remaining eye too and he was left in total blindness. But that never deterred him from making a mark. 

Olson became the first completely blind Division I football player on the Trojans’ roster. He beat all odds, had a 4.3 GPA student, became a published author, and also developed into a great golfer. But learning that Rowan was going to be faced with the same threat he had faced his whole life, was a crushing reality to the otherwise optimistic Olson.

“It was just devastating to realise that he’s going to have to go through some of the things I went through,” Jake Olson said after getting the diagnosis for Rowan.

Rowan’s treatment wasn’t simple either. He had to constantly travel between Florida and LA for chemotherapy and laser procedures at the same hospital that treated Jake decades ago. But at long last, the tiny warrior braved this fight. Jake Olson and his wife could not be more happier.

“I really do hope he takes in every second of his life, appreciating the gift he has of eyesight,” he said after Rowan rang the bell. 

Rowan may not realize it now, but every moment is now precious for his parents.

“Rowan’s looking out the plane window and he’s looking at the other planes,” Dr. Jesse Berry, who treated the toddler, spoke of a text Jake had sent him.”It brings them a lot of joy to see that their son has vision.” 

Jake Olson knew exactly what this view is worth. But that mindset didn’t show up overnight. 

Jake Olson has a fighting spirit 

The last time Olson got to see a USC game was when he was 12. Blind people play sports. But football is a different challenge altogether. Still, Olson never backed down from this uphill climb.

“After his surgery, we were told he might be angry or bitter and that he should take a week off from school,” Jake’s mother, Cindy, said. “But he got up the next morning and said, ‘I’m going to school. I want to go.’”

That same mentality followed him onto the football field, where he became a long snapper. He was a walk-on when he joined, but he soon grew into a valued member of the team. Olson also played in games, his first being against Western Michigan in 2017. And despite being blind, he has nailed his snap attempts.

“The experience was awesome,” he said, after the WMU game. “I loved the camaraderie, getting fired up before a game and just being out there on Friday nights knowing I was contributing to the team.”

Today, Olson and his USC roommate, Daniel Hennes, run an NIL representation company. So far, the talented former athlete has done a lot he can be proud of. But Rowan Olson will always be his biggest pride and joy. Now that he is cancer free, there are many more joys to look forward to for Jake Olson.