Losing my hiking buddy

[trailangelbronco]

My good friend and hiking buddy was coughing up some blood the past few days. Went to the Doctor last week and got the results Friday.

Terminal Cancer, four -five months to live, if he is lucky. too late for Chemo, un operable. Just like that, he is faced with leaving his wife and four kids without a husband and father. Came over to my house this morning with a box of his hiking stuff, broke the news and asked me to take his kids hiking once in a while.

I lost it, just freakin lost it right there. He has accepted it and is just serious about spending all the time he can with his family. He is telling his boss tomorrow, and is afraid that he could lose his job and life insurance when he becomes too sick to work.

Hug your family, love em for who they really are inside and make sure that they know it. Got a dream hike? Go do it now, you never know when it will be too late.

[HiKen2011]

Wow that's sad news. I lost my best friend this past yr to lung cancer, 50 yrs. old. Like u said we never know when our time is up, live life to it's fullest, love your family and do the things you want to do. Life is short, even if we live to the ripe old age of 70 or so, the end creeps up on us. Condolances to you and your friend.

[4shot]

Don't really know what to say other than I am sorry to hear about your friend and especially sad for his wife and children. A prayer for strength and comfort will be said on his and their behalf tonight in our home.

[napster]

Will pray for him & his family & friends during these hard times.Be as strong as you can for him.I know they are some prayer warriors on this site.

[hontassquirt]

Oh my God. That made me cry just reading it. The reality you feel has to be a trillion times worse. My heart breaks for you, your friend, and his family. God bless.

[mweinstone]

reporting as ordered sir. my prayer is that the wife and kids have dads best friend forever and ever. and that they all go on a hike now with dad and take pictures and be strong enough to laugh and play and love. and that dads best friend and all of dads family are awstruck by dads strength.

[N9ZSY]

He and his family have been added to the prayer list...

[restlesss]

So sorry to hear that. Prayers sent your and his way!

[little bear]

man sorry to hear that...will pray for him and his family

[Del Q]

Super sad!!!!

For all of us, "clock out" day is coming we just don't know when or how. We almost lost our son a few times in the past 5+ years, most recently from cancer, stage 4B Hodgkins Lymphoma, he is the toughest person I ever met...........he is now 16. He has pulled me up a LOT of steep mountains on the AT.

The best advice I got was to CHANNEL this horrible news into positive energy in your (our) lives. That helped me a lot. We were all lucky to have ever been born, he will be leaving a great legacy, 4 children.

How much life insurance? How much are the premiums? Cannot let that policy lapse. Feel free to reach out to me privately.

Del Q

[Lyle]

So sorry to hear this. Please encourage him to get a second and third opinion, preferably from non-associated medical centers. I'm not encouraging a never-ending quest for quack treatments, but something of this magnitude deserves more than one opinion. Medicine, after all is an art as equally as it is a science. Opinions may vary.

Best of wishes.

[Don H]

SO sorry. I know you'll make his final wishes come true and take the kids hiking.

[Driver8]

I'm very sorry to hear this awful news, Bronco. Thoughts and prayers to you and to him and his family. One can always hope and pray for miracles. At least I hope he can enjoy his remaining time with his dear ones as much as possible.

[johnnybgood]

Just last week an old work acquaintance lost a 5 month battle with cancer and I was reminded at how fragile one's life really is.
The best thing you can do for your friend is be strong for him even if it's tearing you up inside. This is likely going to be one of the hardest thing you'll ever have to do.

Sounds like he is at peace with himself and now his family and friends must find the resolve to do the same.

Thoughts and prayers for your friend and his family.

[Hutch]

Sorry, there are no words, but we all know. Prayers and strength to you both.

[medicjimr]

My heart goes out to your friend and family prayers sent

[Blissful]

Oh my word I am so, so sorry!!! My heart breaks.

[Mrs Baggins]

I'm so very sorry. This past October we lost 3 friends, one after the other, all to cancer. They were 72, 65, and 53 - brain cancer, bone cancer, and lung cancer. I'll keep you, him and his family in my prayers.

[grayfox]

So hard to know what to say-prayers sent to all.

But I know how it feels to have a doctor tell you you have weeks left to live. It can be strangely calm and clarifying. Priorities line up real quick. In my case he was, happily, wrong. But we all have ony so much time here on earth and, believe me, no matter how long your life is, your life is short. Use it well.

[Rocket Jones]

A sad reminder of our own mortality. Prayers and good wishes to him, his family, and you.

[chiefduffy]

Prayers enroute-

[Cookerhiker]

Shocking news Bronco. I feel for your friend, his family, and for his friends. Prayers for all including you for all you're doing for him.

[hikingshoes]

Very sorry for your friend and his family,and you as well.I think back when Dad had lung cancer not long ago.Only thing i can say that help the most for me was pray,cry,pray,it is very hard but God will help you and your friend/family make it.Being there for the family will help you and your friend(family).I dont know you are your friend but i will pray for your friend/family and you as well.Hang in there!!!Good is good,and its nice to see TRUE friendship not alot of that now day!!Peace my brother!!HS

[ExosC3]

thats sad man...make sure you take his kids hiking, pass some of his gear onto them, and tell them the funniest stories you have from your days in the woods with him. they most certainly will appreciate that.

[trippclark]

Wow, that is very tragic and depressing. We just never know, do we?

One lesson, I guess, we can take from it is from your statement of his worry . . .


He is telling his boss tomorrow, and is afraid that he could lose his job and life insurance when he becomes too sick to work.

I had some similar concerns a couple of years ago and have opted to go ahead and get a term life insurance policy in place now, while healthy, that is not a part of my employer's package. It was very inexpensive, and helps me feel a bit of peace about caring for my family if something happens.

[wrongway_08]

Sorry to hear. Its a good thing he has a good friend like you to turn to and help his kids with this.

My dad fast and without warning (ultralight accident). Might sound sick but its kinda a good thing he found this out and has time to help his family get ready for it and to have the time to get things ready for what they are about to go through.

[Trillium]

yes, I will pray for your friend and his family.

am also praying that a cure can be found to kick cancer's ass.

My daughter's future father-in-law had a colonoscopy this past Friday and you guessed it, they found cancer. Having surgery soon. would appreciate prayers for him as well.

[pistol p]

Not good. Your friend is a strong man. Being able to accept this diagnosis in such a short period of time is very brave. My thoughts go out to him and his family.

Bronco, hang in there. It doesn't really get easier, it's just something you will learn to deal with. Be strong, especially for your friend.

[GeneralLee10]

I am very sorry to hear such news. Best of wishes to you and his family.

[Tinker]

It's a tough time of year to get this news. My prayers are with you, your friend, and his family. Make the most of the time you have left together. We need to be more aware on a daily basis of how precious life is. Situations like this bring it home. I lost a dear friend just last week to a stroke - a total surprise. Life is a precious, fragile gift.

[Smile]

Sorry to hear that sad news, but don't give up!
http://www.gerson.org/

I just saw several documentaries about this, can't hurt to take a look if he feels there is no hope.

Trailer for The Beautiful Truth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZmV8b1wr10

:)

[Puppy]

Praying for all involved.

[DavidNH]

WOW. There aren't words for something like this. can't even imagine such news.

I hope you spend as much time as you can with your friend in the time he has left and I hope you do take his kids hiking when you can as he asked.

I can only say that things will get better with time though next few months will be surely very trying.


David

[ebandlam]

Bronco,

Sorry to hear about your friend - truly sad. Pray that your friend's family has the strength to deal with this impending loss. Please continue to tell your friend's kids what he meant to you, stories from the trail, what he thought, etc..

I lost my dad when I was 12 yrs old. I never knew how much impact my dad had on other people until a few year ago (almost 30 yrs later), when I heard stories from family and friends about how he guided them, coached them, lent them money to meet their monthly bills, etc.. This memory of my father means a whole lot to me. I never realized how cool he was.

I hope your friend's kids know how cool their dad is.

Eshwar

[Roche]

What can one say....

Become the kids' best hiking buddy.

In our prayers.

[BackTrack1]

Thats really bad news, hike with his kids as much as you can.
I just almost lost my hiking / trail work buddy to a brain anurism 2 weeks ago, I'm planning to hike the AT in 2016, im now considering moving it up to 2012 now, my buddy is 9 yrs younger than i am, what if something happens to me in the next few yrs, then ill never hike the trail,right? all this talk is getting me thinking.

[-SEEKER-]

It really pains me to hear things like this. You and his family may be able to find support by going to www.livestrong.org.

[sbhikes]

Wow, a death sentence AND he has to work until he dies.

I'm sorry for everyone's loss.