Today was the day of the John Stoddard Cancer Rally, which we had been planning to attend for several months. Not only does the benefit support cancer, which we fully are on board with, BUT Chris Spielman, former Buckeye and Brown was the featured speaker. Chris' wife Stephanie passed away 2 years ago from breast cancer. Our good friends Kim and Coral Johnson are also the ones who started this rally 11 years ago and head it up year after year. (Kim teaches our boys swimming, "Swim with Kim" and their family has become dear to ours through the years, this benefit she started in honor of her Mom who had cancer)
Late this morning, Scott got a call from Kim. She told Scott that Chris Spielman would be on the oncology floor at the hospital starting at noon, AND ends up our friend Adam was still in the hospital. So this afternoon I got this text photo.
Very cool huh? Doesn't Adam look great? Love the big smile, just like he always has. Then Kim proceeded to tell Scott she had 2 extra tickets for the VIP meet and greet before the benefit at Flemings Steakhouse, would we like to go. Ummmm that took Scott a second to say YES to.
Then as we were getting dressed and ready for the event my cell phone rings, and it was Adam. Wow so great to hear his voice, and SO kind of him to take time to call among his busy day, getting ready to go HOME from the hospital. woo hoo to that! He proceeded to tell me all about his meeting with Chris Spielman and the time they had together. Adam asked me if I could get the reference to a bible verse that Chris referenced in their conversation when I saw him later tonight. He even told Chris to look for the Shislers, those crazy Buckeye fans. Adam and I had a terrific conversation and I shared how much Jack had been praying for him and how very special he was to Jack, and he proceeded to share his heart and love for Jack too. It is a conversation I won't forget. Be intentional in your conversations friends, if there is one thing cancer can teach us it's just that. BE intentional , don't let things go unsaid. Jack came in from playing and the snow and was SO excited to hear that Mr. Nelson had called.
We then packed my purse with as many Buckeye things as we could, without being rude for Chris to sign. (Kim told Scott he would sign whatever we wanted at this VIP meeting) SO off to Flemings we went. We met Chris and had a great conversation, talked about Adam, I got the verse Adam had asked for. ...2 Corinthians 12:7-12 . Chris was a very gracious guy, it was a very small group at the VIP party, maybe 25 other people so we had a lot of time to chat with him. He enjoyed hearing about Scott's Ohio life, he knew Scott's high school well, Chris' son plays football with one of Scott's best friends sons in Columbus so we talked about that...we shared we had 4 boys and he was kind enough to sign a helmet for each of them.
We headed from there to the Rally. AMAZING friends. To see SO many people who have been touched by cancer...AMAZING. At the beginning they gave us each a flashlight, they turned out the lights and then asked for people to turn their flashlights on when they mentioned the following... if Cancer had affected their Spouse, A parent, A child, A family member, A friend...by the end every single person in the room had a flashlight turned on. Cancer has really hit our family this year...between my Dad and his prostate cancer, Scott's sister Kathy and her breast cancer, my friend Leanne's Mom, our friend Melissa's Mom, Gailen and now Adam. Cancer is very real to us.
Then Chris Spielman spoke...I wish I had a script of everything he said. I can summarize it best this way...once Chris' life was ALL about him and ALL about football, then the light came on and he realized life was about serving God, Family and Community. And he has put his ALL into those things and his passion. He spoke of his LOVE for his wife, and how we are not to feel sorry for him. For he had 25 years with her, since they were 15. He knows he will see her again. He talked about how no one "loses" their battle to cancer...CANCER doesn't WIN, it can't win! Cancer doesn't have LOVE and LOVE is what makes things grow. Cancer will never win. We will still FIGHT cancer and his kids will FIGHT for cancer. He said he promised Stephanie, before she passed away from her 5th bout with cancer that he would NEVER stop fighting for a cure for cancer. That there was still work to do and he would do it until the day he dies. She told him "Make my cancer an excuse for NOTHING and motivation for EVERYTHING" He wore his faith on his sleeve tonight, stating that it is by the Grace of God that he "gets it" and that he can live on. This was God's plan for him and for his family and to never feel badly for him. He has a love story to share.
He continues to fight for cancer. The Stephanie Spielman fund has raised over 9 million dollars for cancer research. I would say he has put his passion into action.
We saw Chris a few times at the rally, always gracious and always kind. Happy to have a fellow buckeye to chat with.
Late this morning, Scott got a call from Kim. She told Scott that Chris Spielman would be on the oncology floor at the hospital starting at noon, AND ends up our friend Adam was still in the hospital. So this afternoon I got this text photo.
Chris Spielman and our friend Adam Nelson aka "Mr. Nelson"
Very cool huh? Doesn't Adam look great? Love the big smile, just like he always has. Then Kim proceeded to tell Scott she had 2 extra tickets for the VIP meet and greet before the benefit at Flemings Steakhouse, would we like to go. Ummmm that took Scott a second to say YES to.
Then as we were getting dressed and ready for the event my cell phone rings, and it was Adam. Wow so great to hear his voice, and SO kind of him to take time to call among his busy day, getting ready to go HOME from the hospital. woo hoo to that! He proceeded to tell me all about his meeting with Chris Spielman and the time they had together. Adam asked me if I could get the reference to a bible verse that Chris referenced in their conversation when I saw him later tonight. He even told Chris to look for the Shislers, those crazy Buckeye fans. Adam and I had a terrific conversation and I shared how much Jack had been praying for him and how very special he was to Jack, and he proceeded to share his heart and love for Jack too. It is a conversation I won't forget. Be intentional in your conversations friends, if there is one thing cancer can teach us it's just that. BE intentional , don't let things go unsaid. Jack came in from playing and the snow and was SO excited to hear that Mr. Nelson had called.
We then packed my purse with as many Buckeye things as we could, without being rude for Chris to sign. (Kim told Scott he would sign whatever we wanted at this VIP meeting) SO off to Flemings we went. We met Chris and had a great conversation, talked about Adam, I got the verse Adam had asked for. ...2 Corinthians 12:7-12 . Chris was a very gracious guy, it was a very small group at the VIP party, maybe 25 other people so we had a lot of time to chat with him. He enjoyed hearing about Scott's Ohio life, he knew Scott's high school well, Chris' son plays football with one of Scott's best friends sons in Columbus so we talked about that...we shared we had 4 boys and he was kind enough to sign a helmet for each of them.
We headed from there to the Rally. AMAZING friends. To see SO many people who have been touched by cancer...AMAZING. At the beginning they gave us each a flashlight, they turned out the lights and then asked for people to turn their flashlights on when they mentioned the following... if Cancer had affected their Spouse, A parent, A child, A family member, A friend...by the end every single person in the room had a flashlight turned on. Cancer has really hit our family this year...between my Dad and his prostate cancer, Scott's sister Kathy and her breast cancer, my friend Leanne's Mom, our friend Melissa's Mom, Gailen and now Adam. Cancer is very real to us.
Then Chris Spielman spoke...I wish I had a script of everything he said. I can summarize it best this way...once Chris' life was ALL about him and ALL about football, then the light came on and he realized life was about serving God, Family and Community. And he has put his ALL into those things and his passion. He spoke of his LOVE for his wife, and how we are not to feel sorry for him. For he had 25 years with her, since they were 15. He knows he will see her again. He talked about how no one "loses" their battle to cancer...CANCER doesn't WIN, it can't win! Cancer doesn't have LOVE and LOVE is what makes things grow. Cancer will never win. We will still FIGHT cancer and his kids will FIGHT for cancer. He said he promised Stephanie, before she passed away from her 5th bout with cancer that he would NEVER stop fighting for a cure for cancer. That there was still work to do and he would do it until the day he dies. She told him "Make my cancer an excuse for NOTHING and motivation for EVERYTHING" He wore his faith on his sleeve tonight, stating that it is by the Grace of God that he "gets it" and that he can live on. This was God's plan for him and for his family and to never feel badly for him. He has a love story to share.
He continues to fight for cancer. The Stephanie Spielman fund has raised over 9 million dollars for cancer research. I would say he has put his passion into action.
We saw Chris a few times at the rally, always gracious and always kind. Happy to have a fellow buckeye to chat with.
The following await our boys in the morning....
If you weren't a Buckeye fan before tonight...hearing him would make you one. What a class act. A guy who left football to stay home with his wife while she battled cancer. And to him it was a no brainer. His job was to serve God and family first.
I've been thinking about you all night and hoping it was a wonderful time - so glad to hear that it was all that and more! Of course I have tears streaming down my face - not just from the PURE JOY on Scott's face in the picture, but from all the Chris shared. Those helmets are AWESOME!
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