'Coach Murph Needs Us Now:' Beloved Toms River Basketball Coach, Wife Battle Illnesses

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River basketball coach and his wife who founded the Toms River Girls Basketball League and have played a fundamental role in girls basketball in Ocean County are the focus of efforts to give back as they battle life-threatening illnesses.

John and Nanette Murphy have played critical roles in basketball in Ocean County, first through the founding of the Toms River Girls Basketball League in 1986 and later through the founding of the county's first AAU program, the Ocean County Shoreliners.

But according to a GoFundme campaign circulating, "Coach Murph" and his wife are facing serious challenges.

John Murphy is in need of a kidney transplant, after an illness that appeared to be the flu led to complete kidney failure that requires dialysis three times a week, according to Cliff Baker, who initiated the GoFundme campaign. During an angioplasty, it was discovered Murphy needed an emergency quadruple bypass, Baker said.

Nanette, who has been with her husband through the health challenges that began in November 2015, was diagnosed in January with an inoperable gioblastoma brain tumor, Baker said. "Not much is known about this rare diagnosis. All they can attempt is chemotherapy and radiation," he said.

In addition, the Murphys found out their insurance was inactive, Baker said, and their only income is from Social Security, he said.

"Coach Murph ... has been such an important part of many of our children's lives. He taught our children more than just the Xs and Os on the court, he taught them respect, hard work, honor, and loyalty," Baker said.

On his LinkedIn page, Murphy says his journey to helping athletes began when he was injured shortly after signing a contract to play professional baseball with the New York Yankees.

"I made a vow to myself that I would never permit another young student-athlete go through the pain, suffering, frustration, and sense of loss that I had experienced because of that injury," Murphy wrote. "I had been taught to always 'suck it up,' when hurt. It was actually my roommate, who later went on to his own successful Major League career, who told our manager about what had been done to me by the team's pitching coach. It turned out that I was the 3rd pitcher whose career was ended before it really began."

"As I established my training programs, my goal and focus was on my players to be fundamentally sound in their mechanics, knowledgeable in their approach to the game (be it Baseball, Basketball, or Softball), and to offer the safest learning environment possible for all of my participants."

Murphy's efforts have led to 67 players receiving scholarship money to play basketball in college, and 68 players he has coached have notched 1,000-point careers or better, according to The Baker League, which the Murphys' Main Line Basketball is partnered with. Many of Murphy's players have gone on to become coaches, the site said.

"For all that he has done for our families, it is time for us to show that same loyalty to his family," Baker said.

So far, the GoFundme has raised $10,000 of its $30,000 goal. Click here for more information or to contribute.

Image via GoFundme