- [Narrator] At six foot three

and nearly 300 pounds of solid muscle,

Kentucky defensive end Josh Paschal

strikes fear in thehearts of opposing teams.

- [Announcer] (indistinct)for Josh Paschal.

'Cause when he looked up,

there was a whole numberfour right in his face.

- [Narrator] A warrior on the field,

this future NFL star is knownby his teammates and coaches

as someone with the highest integrity.

- He's one of those players

that you only get so manyin your coaching career.

That it's not just that he'sa really talented athlete,

but that he's a incredible human being,

an incredible young man.

- Josh's dreams of playing in the NFL

began at the age of five.

- Even when I was little,I would go outside,

get the kids in the neighborhood

and we'd have a big game rightin the middle of the field,

I would act like I was an NFL player.

I had my jersey on whenwe were outside playing,

and when I would score I wouldcelebrate like the pros do.

- [Narrator] Though his parents raised him

in a Christian home,

Josh didn't commit tobecoming a Christian.

- To me it was just somethingthat you do every Sunday.

It didn't mean, it didn't havethat deeper meaning to me.

- [Narrator] That all changed in 2018

during his sophomore seasonwhile attending an FCA event.

- He stayed afterwards,

and in his humble, quiet,confident self that he is,

he asked, he said, "I wouldlove to talk to you tonight

about giving my life to Christ."

- I felt joyful.

I saw what it looked liketo have a relationship

with Jesus Christ, not justpray to Him when times get hard

or anything like that,

but have a full-long relationship with Him

and to trust Him, and tolet Him guide your life.

- [Narrator] Times gothard quickly for Josh.

Just four months afterhis profession of faith,

the team trainer suggestedhe get a spot on his foot

checked out by a doctor.

The biopsy revealed the spotwas a malignant melanoma,

cancer.

Josh's response wasn'ta concern for himself,

but for his family and his teammates.

- Seeing how they reacted too,

I really wanted to stay strong

in order to keep them strong as well,

to know that, for themto know that I had it

and that I was gonna fightit, and we were gonna be okay.

- Kentucky Head Coach,Mark Stoops, says that

Josh's commitment to follow Jesus

just a few months before hisdiagnosis became his strength.

- That has a lot to do with his faith,

and in his relationship withChrist and how far he's come,

and he's just a very confident

and a very matter-of-fact person.

- [Narrator] And instead ofquestioning God's goodness,

Josh trusted more fully in God.

- It was a time whereI knew I had my faith,

I knew who I was livingfor and why I'm here.

And so I leaned on theLord and I trusted Him,

and no matter the outcome,I knew it was in His plan,

and that's how I got through it.

- [Narrator] Still thecancer required not one

but three surgeries.

Josh's recovery was difficult.

He even had to learn to walk again.

His dedication to rehab andgetting back on the field

inspired his teammates and coaches.

- He was a sort of beaconof strength for our team.

Whether he could be on the field or not,

you know, in that timewhen he was struggling

and he was diagnosed,whenever he showed up,

he had a smile on his face,

he was encouraging his teammates

and everybody drew strength from that.

- [Narrator] Like a true warrior,

just four months after surgery,

Josh worked his way back onto the field

and into the starting lineup,

cancer-free.

- [Announcer] Let'stalk about Josh Paschal

for a moment, Ray.

This is his first action of theyear and he is finally back.

- [Announcer 2] And then he'sgot that clean bill of health

out here today.

It's a great uplifting feeling

for this KentuckyWildcats football program.

- It just didn't look like it was possible

but you know through Christ,all things are possible

and I believe that.

- It means a whole lot more

when you know what he's been through,

and he's walking throughhis cancer and surviving,

his perseverance, hisattitudes toward life,

he is a man that knows thathe has been blessed by grace

and he just gives grace to others.

- I'm just proud of you son.(crowd clamoring)

To God be all the glory.

- I believe that Heused me during this time

to use my platform alsofor young men like me

who haven't trusted in the Lord yet,

and they're thinking aboutit and they're on that edge,

and they see this video and they're like,

"Wow, this is something Ireally wanna learn more about."

Jesus is the King, the One True King,

and He is loving, He'scaring and He's a Father,

and He is our Heavenly Father.

He is always here, He'salways in the room with you.

And that's something I believe,

that I will never be alonebecause I have the Lord,

and He is

everywhere around me,

next to me, in everything that I do.