Gary Papa’s Brother Loses Radio Show Job During Cancer Struggle

Greg Papa, the younger brother of beloved Philadelphia sports director Gary Papa, is experiencing a similar fight to his brother's.

Gary Papa, who had a memorable 28-year career as a sportscaster on 6 ABC, died in 2009 after a five-year battle with prostate cancer.

In a cruel twist of fate, Greg is now battling leukemia.

Greg Papa's Career

Greg Papa, 8 years younger than brother Gary, has had a high-profile career as a play-by-play announcer for several NFL, NBA, and MLB teams.

Currently the play-by-play voice of the San Francisco 49ers, Greg also spent time in the same role for the Oakland Raiders.

Papa also broadcast for the Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Oakland Athletics, San Antonio Spurs, and the San Francisco Giants.

He is a three-time winner of the California Sportscaster of the Year Award.

For the past 7 years, Greg has also been the co-host of the midday “Papa & Silver” talk show on San Francisco radio station KNBR, 680 AM /104.5 FM.

Papa was laid off earlier this month from his sports talk radio show, along with his midday co-host, Greg Silver.

In a statement Aug. 7, Cumulus Media, owner of KNBR, said: “We’re not able to comment on the specifics of his departure.”

The company added that “our respect and gratitude for everything Greg has given to KNBR, its listeners and its team runs deep,” saying it is “exploring ways we can bring his voice back to the station.”

Cumulus Media, which owns 394 radio stations, filed for bankruptcy protection in March, reached a restructuring deal to wipe out the company’s $697 million in debt, and has been laying off on-air talent at many of its stations this summer.

Greg Papa's Cancer Fight

Last summer, Greg Papa was diagnosed with leukemia after he started feeling ill while on vacation in France.

His younger sister tried to help him by donating stem cells for a bone marrow transplant. But the transplant led to serious complications.

About a month later, Papa developed pneumonia, and his lungs were no longer responding. He spent 78 days in the ICU and nearly died.

Papa recently told NBC Bay Area TV that the last year has been a very tough one in his cancer fight.

“There were many nights there that I felt, you know, I may die,” Papa said during the interview. “Cancer is unfair. Cancer is sudden. Cancer is cruel.”

“I was put on a ventilator,” Papa explained. “I was intubated. I was in an induced coma for about five days. It went from a life-threatening situation for certain to a life-altering one…I’ve made a lot of progress since I’ve been home. I made a lot of progress since late July.”

The Layoff Notice Came As Papa Prepared to Return to Work

Greg Papa, who is still the voice of the San Francisco 49ers, missed many of last season's games after his diagnosis and was trying to recover in time for this year's NFL season.

He was also looking forward to returning to his radio show when he got the layoff news.

“I’m cleared, by the way, to go back on the radio show that I had that I no longer have,” he said.

“I was fully preparing to return to work. There was never any discussion that that would not be the case. And then one day you get a phone call, and I thought it was a return-to-work plan…I was cleared; my hematologist cleared me [for the radio show], and they went the other way, and they chose to terminate my contract.”

Greg told 6ABC earlier this year that he would give the cancer fight his best effort to "win it for Gary".

I'm going to win it for Gary. Gary didn't have a chance to win it. It was diagnosed too late. It was too far gone. He fought the fight he could, but I'm going to find a way to win this battle for my brother Gary."