In the span of two days, a friend and neighbor lost his battle to cancer while the two-year old daughter of a college friend started her’s. Where to begin?
I know I’ve written about my neighbor before, but I can’t remember when. Anyway, he was in his early 40s, married and the father of three children ages 3,5 and 8. Except for the 8 year-old and of course the brain cancer, we shared the same profile. Selfishly his death is and was very scary to me, and I do feel bad thinking this way. Yet I feel it is a natural reaction to immediately think about ourselves when faced with this type of trauma. It makes sense, there were a lot of similarities. However, all I have to do is look out my window at his house and my focus is right back where it should be; thinking about his family and being there for them.
He had this disease before we met him, but from what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen, he was a fighter. Nothing exemplifies that trait more than the fact that he died on April 5, 2011 at 12:01 am and not on April 4, his oldest daughter’s eigth birthday.
While it was not a question of if, but rather a question of when for my neighbor, the news that my college friend’s 2 year-old daughter was just diagnosed with neuroblastoma felt like a punch to the gut. No one deserves cancer, but a toddler. How is that fair?
Of course I had a similar reaction, “what would I do? I have a daughter not much older than that.” Honestly, I can’t imagine it and don’t want to. I just wanted to will that image and thought out of my head. I know I can’t and shouldn’t do that. I want to support my friend and his family’s fight on this. Even when this disease doesn’t touch your immediate family, it still touches you. That’s just one more reason why this disease is so terrible. And it is just one more reason why I ride in the PMC.
And again this isn’t about me, but that was my first reaction. Now, I don’t know the daughter, but if she is anything like her dad, she is also going to be a fighter.
Very well written post Eric. Its personal stories like these that help remind us of the importance of the PMC and what exactly all the money you have raised for cancer research is going towards.
By: Dave Conroy on April 7, 2011
at 11:09 am
Thanks Dave! I really appreciate it. I’m doing my best to get the word out.
By: ericspmc on April 7, 2011
at 11:20 am
So impressed with your dedication to this cause. The Bedford Kids PMC is in it’s 7th year, and I am always amazed at the outpouring of support, enthusiasm and just great community vibe that I feel every year at this event. It’s amazing to see all these kids ride out of the middle school parking lot on their bikes and know that they are all there for the same reason – to help cure cancer!
Reading your post, I was so saddened to see the word neuroblastoma. I know a local family who had to deal with this awful disease, and they have started a non-profit for the cause. I hope your friend has lots of support and one can never have too many resources for something like this. Check out friendsformatty.org
By: Becky Ricci on April 8, 2011
at 9:10 am
Thanks Becky! I appreciate your support and everything you are doing. Both my kids (3 and 5 1/2) are going to ride in the Natick PMC Kids’ ride this year. I’ll definitely check out friendsformatty.org.
By: ericspmc on April 8, 2011
at 9:32 am
[...] posted last week about the death of our friend and neighbor. Today we said [...]
By: Wise words from a young girl on a sad day « Eric's PMC Training Blog on April 14, 2011
at 6:48 am