He had leukemia.
Within the week, Sakiewicz received his first dose of chemotherapy.
"We're under construction," Sakiewicz said. "We're trying to close bank loans. Wall Street was burning in 2009, if you remember, so the bond market was freezing up. Delaware County couldn't sell the bonds. I'll never forget, it was Jan. 14th, I was in my hospital bed, getting a dose of chemo. I'm on the phone with our CFO and the bank, negotiating a loan deal. The nurse is looking at me like, 'You're out of your mind, dude.' "
The experiences of Sakiewicz's life might better be understood as hurdles. The 50-year-old former goalie has a self-belief that is hard-earned and helps explain how he was the one who brought professional soccer back to the area and got PPL Park built.
Before coming to Philly, Sakiewicz had dealt with a stream of New Jersey politicians of all stripes, been vilified by the home fans when he ran the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, had felt hamstrung by his own ownership, and learned lessons on how the locker room should be run.
He believes the Union represent his best shot at fulfilling his big soccer dreams.
Now that he is cancer-free.
Soccer ball at his feet
Why didn't his father get on the boat to Buenos Aires? Growing up in Passaic, N.J., Sakiewicz used to joke about that. If the family had caught the other ship, he'd have grown up in one of the great soccer countries.
A missed boat was only part of his family's lore. Nick heard the stories growing up about how his father, of Ukrainian ancestry, was a teenager living in Poland when the Germans invaded.
