Two quotes:
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated"
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
Two quotes:
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated"
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
M Twain wrote:
Two quotes:
"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated"
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
Here's Justin's latest post saying Gabe is resting at home as of an hour ago.
The power of prayer!
Star wrote:
I hope she's reading this thread and laughing.
Even if there is little time left I like her attitude of how she is approaching it.
Thanks Star, I needed that chuckle. I promise you that is exactly what she would be doing (though also perhaps be a touch indignant ;)
Damn this is heartbreaking.
If I could take her place, I would.
wejo wrote:
Here's Justin's latest post saying Gabe is resting at home as of an hour ago.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Byipr9oneUy/
Maybe it's because I'm older and think about death a little more, but that photo is hard for me to look at. Heartbreaking.
SDSU Aztec wrote:
wejo wrote:
Here's Justin's latest post saying Gabe is resting at home as of an hour ago.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Byipr9oneUy/Maybe it's because I'm older and think about death a little more, but that photo is hard for me to look at. Heartbreaking.
Agree with you totally but when you are in the moment as a loved one, care is something you must do, as sad and heartbreaking as it is. I also feel for those around her, especially Justin. It's not easy to watch a loved one die...
Stay strong Gabe looks like you have a stellar husband who is truly there for you. I hate cancer and I wish they can just find a cure for it already. I don't know you but think you are a truly good person who deserves life. You have inspired so many people in the face of challenge you thrive right now it looks like you are in the race of your life. I am not a religious person but can put that aside and say a little prayer for you and your family right now.
God Bless You,
Corey D.
I am terrified of death, but when I am forced to go, I would feel so fortunate to have a chance to say my goodbyes and to be surrounded by those who love me. I hope that when she goes, the time that they got to spend together in the last days and hours brings her family some small measure of solace, and that her strength, grit, tenacity and willingness to share her journey brings them some lasting memories.
Having grown up with her in small, Perham, MN and ran many miles with her, I had to leave work after seeing that pic.
Bastille - I get it. I like to think I am a tough guy - and have experiences to prove it - but that photo puts me in a brutal state of grief not experienced in years - not since my great athlete cousin died of a rare liver cancer. Great people live on after their death - but man, the grief and heartbreak are profound. I will say one thing - Gabe sure as heck reminds me to grateful and love every minute.
I was totally unfamiliar with cancer until I met my current girlfriend and had an incredibly sad front row seat for the last 2 years of her mother's life. It was awful. She received the least compassionate care you could imagine, to the point where when we told the pain management doctor that the f'ing Tramadol they were giving her for her pain wasn't working, we were rebuffed with "we can't just give people anything they want. We're not drug dealers."
Mind you, the dosage of Tramadol (the weakest opioid on the market) she was given was the EXACT dose they gave my freakin dog when he sprained his meniscus. It was cruel. Things only got remedied when we got APS involved.
I'm not telling this story to take the focus off of Gabe and the struggle of her and her family. I'm telling this story to say that I'm very glad such a lovely person who inspired and did so much for others during her life (including the hardest parts of that unfair life) is being given a quality sendoff fit for the person she is.
She looks like she's surrounded by a lot of love and there's something to be said for being able to spend your last days in an environment that feels like home as opposed to a cold (both literally and figuratively) hospital environment.
This setting also seems like it'd make the experience way more personable and friendly for family and friends. Some people are wildly uncomfortable in a hospital environment, even for a brief visit. But this setup seems like "we get to say 'Goodbye' to Gabe as she gets as relaxed as possible for the journey ahead".
I also want to add that Justin seems like a really really solid dude and made an excellent copilot for Gabe on this epic journey. I hope when everything finally calms down and his heart begins to mend, that he is eventually able to find himself a companion that is half the person for him that he was for Gabe.
There is a lot wrong in the world, and much of it stems from the nature of the people in it. Even though I wish we could do so under more positive circumstances, I hope we can all take a minute or two to celebrate a few of the good guys (and girls obviously).
Gabe, thank you for showing us the resiliency of the human spirit and the best of humanity. Thank you for grabbing each day by the balls and living life to the fullest. Thank you for being real and allowing us to see that bravery, fear, courage, hope, and vulnerability can all coexist....because we're human. Thank you for being a stand up person and Michelle Obama'ing the hell out of the Salazar situation at Indoor Nats by going high when his dumb ass was addicted to winning at all costs, even if meant going as low as one could.
May what's left of your time here be peaceful, pain-free, and filled with friends, love, and laughter.
malmo wrote:
Damn this is heartbreaking.
If I could take her place, I would.
My wife passed away unexpectedly 25 years ago when she was 29. This is opening up old wounds.
Justin, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
I too would trade places with Gabe in a heartbeat.
bastille wrote:
Having grown up with her in small, Perham, MN and ran many miles with her, I had to leave work after seeing that pic.
She looks like a healthy young woman taking a nap and those guys are going to tickle her nose with a feather or put her hand in warm water. It's hard to reconcile.
Just watched this. Thank you, Gabe.
I hate that she is being cheated out of her life. I lived life footloose and fancy free until boom, I hit my 50’s and seemingly everyone started dying: parents, in-laws, friends’ parents, co-workers who taught you all kinds of stuff and then retired, uncles and aunts, and then it starts with your friends. Shocking how many people make it to 50 but never make it to 60. But still they at least had 50-60 years. You just know that with her spirit and zest for life, Gabe would squeeze everything out of life and continue being a stellar human being. Hoping and praying for a miracle.
Inspirational athlete, family and film.
Thank you Gabe (and Brooks Running) for sharing this inspirational story.
Our thoughts are with you and your family
I had the pleasure of interviewing her in 2014 after she had already beaten cancer twice. She was a breath of fresh air.
A light shone from her where perhaps for others it may be a tough situation to keep one's chin up; she's a fighter.
This reminds me of when my dad died of cancer 8 years ago. It is surreal and hard to reconcile how someone so full of life and love can deteriorate before our eyes. It is a reminder that life is definitely not fair and to be grateful for and take advantage of every day we have here on this earth, and to not let dreams be put on hold. Thank you Gabe for being such an inspiration to everyone!!!