Sometimes life doesn’t throw curveballs—it catapults them at 100 mph when you least expect it. One moment, you’re enjoying a quiet evening at home, and the next, everything you’ve built is up in flames. Add to that a diagnosis no one is ever prepared to hear, and all of a sudden, the fight becomes about much more than just reconstructing a home. That’s exactly the situation Bobby Jenks finds himself in.
Once celebrated as a dominating force on the mound, Jenks now faces a challenge far greater than anything he ever encountered in the ninth inning. Months after losing his home in a wildfire, the former Chicago White Sox closer and World Series winner is opening up about a personal battle—Stage 4 stomach cancer. It’s a diagnosis he never could have imagined after his illustrious MLB career.
While speaking to The Athletic, the two-time All-Star opened up about the emotional toll of his battle with cancer. “I guarantee you, everybody thinks about death on a daily basis. It’s just that people don’t usually have an actual day on theirs,” he said. But Jenks isn’t losing hope so easily. Whether he has only six months or three years, he is ready to fight—fight against cancer: “I’ve come to the realization that it could be six months, or it could be three years. But I’m ready. And however long it takes, I’m going to be here fighting it.”
It all started with jaundice and other unusual symptoms. Soon after, doctors confirmed adenocarcinoma, an aggressive form of stomach cancer that had already spread to his spine, hips, and lower back. For Jenks and his wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos, the news was devastating—a terminal illness where treatment can only manage symptoms, not offer a cure. The weight of such a revelation can shatter even the strongest individuals, as seen when Eleni ran out of the room in tears upon hearing the diagnosis.
There might be no cure, but The Big Guy has faith that he can beat his cancer. And this faith is what is carrying him through his toughest time, as he told The Athletic. All he hopes now is “just being myself, and living a normal life again.”
After being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in October 2024. The Jenks decided to relocate to Portugal in search of advanced treatment options, hoping the international care could give him more time to fight this battle. Since then, Bobby’s days have been filled with hospital appointments and overwhelming fatigue. Though he is motivated to fight his cancer as long as it takes, one thing is clear for him: “I’ll tell you one thing: I’m not going to die here in Portugal.”
And it hasn’t been easy for the Jenks, neither emotionally nor financially.
Bobby Jenks turns to fundraising amid mounting medical bills
It’s a tough battle, and as if the physical toll of it wasn’t enough, Jenks and his wife faced even tougher challenges with the mounting medical bills. Their children, 11-year-old Zeno and four-year-old Kate, aren’t even old enough to process everything that is happening. His wife, Eleni, revealed that the couple dropped their insurance years ago when the health concerns seemed distant and the costs overwhelming.
To help them ease the financial toll, Jenks even engaged in a final memorabilia signing through PastPros, with every dollar raised going to support his kids and treatment costs. “It’s more than just an autograph session. It is a farewell tour, it is a fundraiser, and it is a man choosing to face the darkest days with honesty and grit,” Jenks explained. But of course, things are still difficult. Now, in Portugal, efforts to cover his treatments have become even more challenging.
MLB players receive pension plans, but these benefits don’t always provide enough to sustain them after retirement. And in Jenks’ case, he is not yet eligible for full pension benefits due to his early retirement caused by a botched back surgery. Although he won a $5.1 million settlement after suing Massachusetts General Hospital for medical malpractice, it wasn’t enough to cover his current financial challenges.
The post Months After Devastating House Fire, 44YO Ex-White Sox Closer Makes Emotional Confession on Life-Threatening Disease appeared first on EssentiallySports.