Last Tuesday I received some devastating news about my manager who is also a very good friend. He's been battling cancer since he was 17 and is now 33. He's had 5 different types of cancer and has beaten them all. Currently he's been struggling with a tumor in his brain that has been stable but he found out in his round of test it's growing. Worst yet, it's spreading. It's hard to see him struggling to read, walk or just trying to function for more than an hour without getting dizzy. At work my job is to fix problems - this is one problem I can't fix but I wish I could help relieve the stress somehow. Although he's my manager he's also a great friend to me so I was extremely devastated to hear his struggle in life has just gotten harder.
When I first started to think about doing an Ironman I remember sitting in the Bistro at our office with him and saying I had this crazy idea. Without much thought he said to do it. After I explained why I asked him first since it's going to take a serious commitment on my end and would need my employer to understand working 12 hours a day wasn't going to work. He immediately said to do it and for the next month he kept saying I should do it every time I brought it up.
So for the next 10 months and for the final 12-17 hours on September 11, 2011 - I will be pushing my body to limits I've never been and when I have those mental breakdowns from now until then, as I did many times this past week, I will think about my close friends and my father that struggled emotionally, mentally and physically through the toughest battle of their lives and so far have won.
Great job guys - cowbells for you!
No comments:
Post a Comment