John Bigelow - July 28th

Nothing new to report today.  No major changes, just lots of rest.

A month ago the doctors gave Beth four to six months to live.  That time frame means nothing to Beth. Beth has already statistically beaten the odds and she is planning on beating that number again.

Someone we look to as an example of strength and fight is a man we met about 1 year ago. John Bigelow and his wife live in Northeast Ohio and they are the proud parents of 5 beautiful adoptive children. John fought cancer the previous year and then last fall found out his cancer had returned and spread to his lungs. When we met him in October he was not doing well and his health was declining rapidly.  We met this family through some mutual friends and by a small miracle of circumstance and timing, a local charity event, the Meadows Turkey Bowl found out about this family and stepped in to help. The Meadows Turkey Bowl, a Thanksgiving Day charity backyard football game would raise over almost $100,000 for this family whose sole bread winner was battling for his life.  

John made it a goal to make it to Thanksgiving so he could attend the game and give his thanks to all that were involved. As his health continued to decline we were worried that John was not going to be able to make it to Thanksgiving.  Two nights before the game he was admitted into hospital.  Many prayers were answered when John’s doctors allowed him to leave the hospital and attend the game on that cold November morning.  John literally had to be carried to and from his car but he made it to the game and enjoyed a very special moment with the players and the organizers of the charity event that helped his family.

As John and his family left the field to go home I remember thinking that his time was short and I wondered if I would ever see him again.

Then something special happened, John refused to give up. He kept fighting. He wasn’t ready to move on.  He wanted to spend as much time with his kids. He wanted to show the doctors they were wrong.

He went on to live another 8 months. 240 more days.  

John passed away last Sunday.  In talking to his wife, while she is mourning her loss, she is so grateful for the extra time the Lord gave them. Each day was truly a gift from above.

John showed that while doctors give their best educated guess, it still is just that, a guess.  

John Bigelow has given Beth much hope.  As tired and physically beaten she is, she is not ready. She has so much to do, so much yet to accomplish. Thank you John for showing it can be done. Thank you for your example of faith. Thank you for your fight.