Where Are They Now? Bob Grusak

When Bob Grusak found out he was named to the North All-Star football team in 1992, you could have knocked him over with a handful of peanuts without the shells.

When the Lake Station all-state tight end learned he wouldn't be on the roster because the offense was a run-and-shoot and did not use a tight end, he didn't need any help falling over.

"It was a tough one and I was beside myself," Grusak said. "I sat down and talked with my coach at Lake Station, Doug Stanford, and he told me it didn't make me any less of a player or person. I also learned that just because you have a setback, you can't quit, you just have to work harder."

The two-time Northwest Hoosier Conference selection who helped the Eagles win a Class 2A sectional in 1991, is now director of pharmacy at Regency Hospital in Portage.

As a senior, he was a Silver Bell Club scholarship recipient in 1992. He recalls meeting sports legends Hank Stram, Tony Zale, Ray Nitschke and Jim Harbaugh. Stram and Zale were former Gary residents.

"It was unbelievable," Grusak said. "Holy Cow! Ray Nitschke won two Super Bowls with the Packers. Zale was a boxing champ and Stram won a Super Bowl."

Grusak played two years of football at St. Joseph's College and started as a sophomore as a defensive end. An injury shortened his career, but he still has great memories of his college days.

"My first game, we played Grand Valley (Mich.) State and their coach was Brian Kelly," Grusak said. "Another, I look up at one of our home games and the official is my former principal at Lake Station, Mr. William Zurcher."

As director of pharmacy, he oversees five people in his department and works with physicians, doing more than just filling orders. He has to make sure a certain medication does not have side effects with another medication that a patient may be taking.

"We also are involved in a total patient nutrition in which we are feeding a patient through and IV line," he said. "We make sure the patient is getting the right amount of calories per day and trying to get the patient stronger. The main goal is to get the patient home."

He said he became interested in medicine at a young age.

"I saw how someone could almost be dead and you can, through medicine and proper care, bring them back to life," Grusak said. "I was always fascinated with that and being in a profession where you help people."

He and his wife Anne has two children -- Gavin (13) and Abbie (10). Grusak said he still attends Lake Station sporting events.

"It was the greatest place to grow up," he said. "We are a small school, but a lot of successful people came out of Lake Station and my graduating class. I am proud to say I went to Lake Station."