Keep moving forward.
It was the first thought I had this Wednesday morning when I heard about the passing of marathon runner Gabrielle “Gabe” Grunewald at the age of just 32 after a long and never unceasing battle with various forms of cancer. Her fight, and her refusal to succumb, is told in her obit in today’s New York Times, which you should read here, but her life was one about positive energy and one that always was trying to move forward.
I got to know Gabe a little bit through another good friend and colleague, Harrie Bakst, over the last few years. I have helped Harrie every year with the AKTIV Against Cancer program, founded by the late Grete Waitz, every year during the week of the New York City Marathon. AKTIV’s program is simple but nothing short of amazing; keeping cancer patients active and moving and using exercise as a key part of therapy, can change lives. One of its biggest supporters Dr. Lee Jones, continues to unceasingly preach the gospel of reform in cancer treatment. The faster you can get patients moving and exercising, the better their lives become, and the quicker they heal and return to normal lives. The case studies, especially those being done by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, are remarkable, and are such amazing proof that having an active life, and a positive mental outlook, helps all fight the devastating battle.
But back to Gabe. Harrie, as he is wont to do from time to time, asked me to speak again to her about six months ago. Her cancer was under control, she was feeling good and getting back to her running lifestyle and she wanted to really get her cause-based work moving along to help others and better frame her story. She just didn’t know how. We spoke several times and agreed that as she got things in order we could work on tackling one thing at a time to reach the right audience and really amplify her work to make things better, and not just tell her story, but the ones of people she has met and inspired in the hopes of raising not just money, but awareness. Give hope where sometimes it feels like there was none.
Then she had a few setbacks and she agreed that getting better was the best story she could tell. There would be time for the other stuff.
Only there wasn’t, at least not for Gabe this time. We last spoke in March, when she was heading back to the hospital and was trying to juggle so many priorities. I was actually sitting in my car on Riverside Drive waiting for alternate side of the street parking to change over when she called. She was always upbeat and rattled off a bunch of things she would like to announce when the time was right and we agreed to reconnect when she was feeling a little less tired and had time to think about a great next step with her team, which included some friends like Harrie building her cause platform. We only talked about 20 minutes, but she had such a sense of positive urgency in that call that it gave me great hope that once again she could find the way to beat time, and her physical challenges, because her mental outlook was so strong.
“It is so important that we keep this moving,” she said.
And that was it.
Over the last few weeks Harrie texted me with updates about Gabe, and the news came across early this AM that she finally couldn’t fight any more.
It’s probably because of that age, hitting ol double nickels, that you see and hear more and more about friends, colleagues, acquaintances, dealing with such dire health issues. Every morning and night I say a prayer and mention the names in my mind of people who I know more than a little who are fighting some sort of tough fight; mentally, physically, emotionally, and last night as I thought back the number was 12; the people who I know, work with, or come across who are wrestling with issues that can easily consume one’s life. Their names don’t have to be public, but they are front and center in my mind, even when I don’t talk, or text or speak to them every day. We just need to keep moving forward.
I only write this today not to be morbid, but to maybe offer a little bit more of positivity in a world where it’s easy to get sucked up. Moving forward and pulling those along with you, is a lot better than sitting back and dwelling on what could have been or what may become. It’s very, very easy to say when the drama is not yours and you can walk, or run, or have a good meal without fear and pain. However those who are suffering; many quietly, can always use the boost. That’s what I tried to do with Gabe Grunewald; provide a little boost and ease a little part of a massive burden so that she could focus on the task at hand.
It’s what we can all do sometimes, keep moving forward. Those little acts can make big differences if you are just self aware enough to realize the positive impact you can have in the small deeds we do.
One thing you can do today is to remember Gabe, and do a little something for someone, no matter how small, that can keep us moving forward. And do it again tomorrow.
Keep moving forward.
