After a harrowing year, Eli Gold is ready to get back home.

The voice of Alabama football since 1988 has recently been declared cancer-free after an initially mysterious illness was eventually diagnosed in December. The 69-year-old missed all of last season but is eager to see the radio booth in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

So eager, in fact, Gold said Friday he plans on taking a few practice reps before the Crimson Tide opens the 2023 season Sept. 2 against Middle Tennessee State. Speaking by phone with AL.com, Gold said he’ll work to get his rhythm back calling Alabama’s preseason scrimmages in unaired rehearsals.

“It’s been 20 months since I’ve done a ballgame,” Gold said. “But you don’t forget how to do that. It’s like riding a bike.”

Spending 40 minutes on the air Friday afternoon on Tide 100.9-FM told Gold he had the stamina to get back into the groove he’s missed for well over a year.

The Jan. 10, 2022 national title game loss to Georgia was the last time Gold’s voice called a football game on the Crimson Tide Sports Network of radio affiliates. He wasn’t quite feeling like himself that night in Indianapolis but it took nearly a year before doctors fully diagnosed what they originally thought was an orthopedic issue.

Instead, Stage 3 cancer was diagnosed two days before last Christmas after a tumor was discovered on Gold’s esophagus. Intense chemo that spanned 18 weeks began New Year’s Eve, a day before Alabama closed the football season with a Sugar Bowl romp over Kansas State.

Nearly eight months later, Gold said he’s never felt this healthy. He’s gained back some of the 140 pounds he lost during his illness.

“I’m still going to the gym,” Gold said. “Now that’s a sentence you’ve never heard me say but I’m going to physical therapy three days a week. It has me in better shape than I’ve ever been.”

The whole battle gave Gold a new perspective on life. Returning to the broadcast booth is an accomplishment Gold wanted to achieve on behalf of every cancer patient and their caregivers.

Throughout the process, two significant milestones served as the carrot on Gold’s stick. Of course the 2023 football season opener was on the list but his daughter is also getting married next year.

“I wanted to be here and able to walk her down the aisle,” Gold said.

Just a year ago, the news was not as positive. There were whispers of the broadcasting legend’s poor health before the school announced Aug. 4, 2022 that Gold would miss at least the beginning of the football season and Chris Stewart would fill in. Doctors were still unsure of what caused Gold to fall ill at that point and the absence would eventually span the full 2022 season.

“My legs stopped working,” Gold said. “And they gave me all these steroids to try and figure out what was going on with my legs and those medicines were masking the real problem.”

Uncontrollable hiccups in December eventually led to the discovery of the tumor on his esophagus. Sitting in the hospital all those months opened Gold’s eyes to how hard cancer fights can be on families of the sick.

There were bright moments in the calls, texts and mail he received from everyday folks to Nick Saban and Charles Barkley. Terry Saban, the coach’s wife, was a regular texter with Gold throughout the process.

“It was very rewarding to know people cared,” Gold said.

And from the sound of Gold’s voice, he’s ready to call a game today if one was played.

“When I get back into the booth, I am going to be broadcasting not only for myself and the fans but I’ll be doing it on behalf of all the people who have had cancer, who have survived cancer or people, God bless them, lost a family member or a friend to cancer.

“This thing really opened my eyes.”

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.