Cancer! They say it affects every family in some way, here is my story:
I remember being in elementary school and my older brother called out to me and said, “Hey, you have to come watch this guy”. The “guy” he was referring to was ‘Iron Mike Tyson’, I watched that fight and was hooked. My brother and I must of watched hundreds of fights together after that, it was one of our favorite pastimes, that and playing Fight Night on Xbox , yes he introduced me to video games too and all other cool things life had to offer.
My older brother, is the best definition of a loving sibling that anyone could have. Anyone with an older sibling knows that there is no words that can describe the relationship that starts straight out the womb. I mean having a best friend, confidant, role model and personal body guard starting at age zero is pretty damn remarkable.
In 2010 his and my entire families life changed forever as this would be the year he would be diagnosed with brain cancer. This would be the start of the worst year of my life. I watched him lose his speech, lose functionality of his leg, his arm, and eventually his breath. He spent majority of his time in a wheel chair and a hospital bed during the last few months, not to mention, 2 surgeries where his scalp was cut open to operate on his brain. I remember the feeling of utter helplessness as I watched him through all of this. He eventually passed away on November 1st, 2011. Brothers stick together and always have each others back, but during that battle I was powerless, all I could do was watch him get his ass kicked. The nights were long and the anxiety was strong, the cancer was fierce and wanted him bad.
Now I want to fight back! I want to fight for him and his legacy. I want to fight for the fact that we loved to watch fights and sometimes loved to get in fights. He taught me how to throw my first punch and also gave me my first bloody nose (I smile as I write that). Truth be told I have never been in a boxing match before and I am a little nervous. I have dedicated a good part of the year to train, sacrifice time with loved ones and add to my hectic life and of course, be punched in the face. I am doing this because Cancer SUCKS and we all know it. I am not asking you to put on gloves but I am urging you to dig into your pockets and help me fund the fight. The fight to end cancer.
I am participating in the 7th annual Fight To End Cancer in support of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. I am raising research dollars with a vision of reaching a goal we all share – To Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime!
With your help, I hope to reach my fundraising goal and make a difference. Help me raise $20k by fight night… Let’s get ready to rummmmmmble! You can also reserve your tickets: Event Tickets and Info
With Love and Appreciation,
Rick
Keep Up With The Fight!