After a quarter-century as a firefighter, Greg Gutierrez is fully accustomed to unnerving situations. But none of the emergency training he's undergone over all those years prepared him for the ordeal that's facing him and his family.

"We're keeping the confidence and keeping the faith, but it's probably the most scared I've ever been," said the 46-year-old Californian, who dropped out of the Bassmaster Elite Series this week

to devote full-time attention to his wife. Bobbie Gutierrez, already a multiple-time cancer survivor, is scheduled to have two lung tumors removed in an operation on June 10.

"Out of all the things we've gone through, this is probably the worst. But the way we look at it, the best defense is an aggressive offense."

A Promise Kept

Gutierrez informed BASS officials of his decision to leave the tour via a letter earlier this week. He hopes to get a medical emergency exemption and return to the circuit as soon as next year.

"I’m sorry I can’t continue the tour, but 21 years ago I made a promise to Bobbie in front of God, my family and friends, that in sickness and in health, I would care for her and be there for her," he said in the letter. "I intend to keep that promise.

"I’ll try to keep you informed. Hug your family and keep us in your prayers."

Whether the tumors are cancerous is unknown. Gutierrez said a biopsy to determine that poses too great of a risk – if one or both are malignant, there's a chance that an infected cell could fall out of the needle on the way out of his wife's body and allow the disease to spread to other organs.

"We weighed all the options and came to the conclusion that we don't really have a choice. (The tumors are) going to have to come out regardless, and there's no reason to subject her to something worse."

He said one of the tumors is extremely small and is located on the outside edge of the right lung. That one can be removed through an arthroscopic-type procedure.

The other is much larger – 2 inches by 1 inch – and in a position that necessitates complete removal of the lower lobe of the left lung.

"They'll inspect the lymph nodes while they're in there, and depending what those look like, they either will or won't take those out, too. Then we'll wait for the pathology report. If they have to pull the lymph nodes, then more than likely there'll be follow-up procedures.

"Bobbie's history and the history of her family has long included cancer," he continued. "If we started thinking that this wasn't something bad and went about dealing with it lackadaisically, we'd be making a huge mistake."

Tough Balancing Act

For the past 4 years, Gutierrez has somehow managed to balance the demands of his job with full-time participation on BASS's top tour. He frequently conducts safety and prevention seminars at local firehouses at the various stops on the schedule.

He finished 31st in the Angler of the Year (AOY) race in his rookie season (2005), which gained him berths in two Bassmaster Classics. He ended up 46th in the points in '06 and 82nd last year, and was 67th in the current campaign.

His highest career finishes are a pair of 3rds – at Oklahoma's Grand Lake in 2006 and at Clear Lake in his home state last year. He was 60th at Murray 2 weeks ago – an event he almost didn't fish due to the pressures of his wife's illness.

"I was going to start driving home on the first day of practice, and I probably would have if it wasn't for Jared Lintner," he said. "We were both fishing upriver and I called him and he came and found me, and we talked and he helped me get through it."

Just as he's always quick to dole out fire prevention advice, he offered a health maintenance tip for BassFans.

"Take a look at what (former Elite Series angler) Jarrett Edwards is doing for cancer awareness, and prepare yourself for it. You don't know if it's going to be you or somebody real close to you. Know the signs and don't deny it – don't wait until you can't do something about it.

"With our history, if there's any kind of change that occurs, we go after it right away. We do not sit around and wait."

Notable

> Gutierrez and his 20-year-old son Gregory will fly to Birmingham, Ala. Saturday to pick up his boat and truck and take them back to California. "I'm going to need the truck around here," he said. "The one I've been driving back and forth to the (Sacramento) airport is on its last legs."

> On Wednesday evening, father and son were the initial respondents to a scanner report involving an elderly man, who lives just down the road from them, choking on something he'd eaten for dinner. Gregory is a firefighter himself and has had First Responder training. "It was his first opportunity to try and save a life, and I talked him through it and he did an excellent job. I was very proud of him. The guy was pulseless and breathless when we got there, and when we left the hospital he was breathing on his own. I don't know what happened after that, but at least he stood a chance."

> He'll have to wait to hear from BASS on whether he'll be granted a medical emergency exemption to return to the Elite Series. "You'd think this would fall under those guidelines. I'd like to be able to come back, but if I have to go back to where I started in fishing, that's okay, too. I've been given a lot of opportunities in life and I'm certainly not going to complain."

Appendix

Below is the complete text of the letter Greg Gutierrez sent to BASS in announcing his departure from the Elite Series:

For the past several years I have maintained my position as a fire captain with Cal Fire while I competed on the Bassmaster Elite Tour, and believe me, balancing the busy schedule has been very challenging. I maintained that schedule for several reasons, one reason was to live the dream that so many working men and women have dreamed, “to be a Bassmaster pro."

I have competed on several tournament circuits over the years and feel I have reached the pinnacle of bass fishing by competing with such a professional organization such as BASS, and against some of the best anglers in the world. My family has grown with and has become part of the BASS family.

It is with great sadness that I must issue this release to my fishing family.

My wife Bobbie of 21 years was recently diagnosed with two masses in her lungs – one on the left and one on the right. We don’t know what they are but with her history as a longtime cancer survivor, we are being very aggressive with this. We are unsure at this time if the surgery will be followed with other known cancer treatments.

I am Bobbie’s only caregiver and she will need me to be there for her, as she has always been by my side for my fishing. With the upcoming surgery and recovery time in the hospital and at home, and with the medical hardship this will cause. I see no possible way to continue competing on the BASS Elite Tour and provide the care she needs.

Stepping down from finishing the tour brings about several additional complications, and my only hope is BASS will recognize my need to care for Bobbie’s medical needs are necessary and unavoidable, and hopefully BASS will allow me to qualify for a medical exemption and allow me to return back to the Elite Tour at a later date.

I know I have made promises and signed contractual obligations to meet, but I don’t know if I will be able to meet those expectations right now. Maybe I can participate in some type of event to generate some positive press for BASS and my sponsors.

I’m sorry I can’t continue the Tour, but 21 years ago I made a promise to Bobbie in front of God, my family and friends, that in sickness and in health I would care for her and be there for her, I intend to keep that promise.

I’ll try to keep you informed. Hug your family and keep us in your prayers.

Greg, Bobbie and Gregory Gutierrez