This week marks two years since cancer took my mom, and I still think about her all the time. I've especially been thinking about her a lot lately, and not just because of the anniversary. It's because over the last few days, I was reminded again of the cruelty of the disease and the absolute grace those who fight it show. When faced with her impeding death, Gracie wasn't afraid. She accepted it and spent her last few days saying goodbye to her family and friends. She was completely at peace. As was Gabe Grunewald.
Grunewald, a professional runner who battled cancer for nearly a decade, succumbed to the disease on Tuesday night at the age of 32. She was incredibly open about her fight, regularly posting updates about her health on her social media pages, and her courage and bravery throughout it all made her an inspiration to so many. The hashtag #bravelikegabe has been trending for the past few days, as fans, cancer survivors, other pro runners and so many others have posted messages and stories during Gabe's final days.
That was actually a special request by her husband, Justin. Over the weekend, when Gabe took a turn for the worse and she was moved to comfort care, he posted a message on his Instagram page telling everyone "I wanted to let you all know while she is still alive so you can send her one last message here or on her wall or on her phone before she heads up to heaven." Yesterday he posted a heartbreaking picture of Gabe surrounded by her family and friends. Then he broke the sad news that she had passed. And the outpouring of love and support has been just as inspiring as her fight.
I never met Gabe Grunewald, but as a fan of track & field, I was familiar with her story. And how could you not be inspired by her? She first found out she had cancer while she was a junior at Minnesota. The next year, she finished second in the 1500 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Then she started a pro career and emerged as one of the best female middle-distance runners in the country.
At the 2012 Olympic Trials, she finished fourth, one spot away from a place in the London Games. In 2014, she won the indoor national title in the 3000 meters and represented the U.S. at the World Indoor Championships, where she made the final and placed ninth.
But her most memorable race isn't one that she won. In fact, it's one where she finished in last place. Grunewald's cancer returned in 2016, forcing doctors to remove a four-pound tumor from her liver that left her with a large scar on her abdomen. It returned again in early 2017, but she was determined to race at USA Outdoors that year.
And she did just that. Despite working her training schedule around chemotherapy treatments, despite being hospitalized the week before the race, she made it to the starting line. The fact that she finished last in an opening round heat (after making the final every year from 2010-16) was completely beside the point. Gabe was there. Just like she knew she would be. Running with that 13-inch battle scar right there for all to see.
After the race, she received a standing ovation. Then all of the runners gathered together to pray. That doesn't happen in track. And it was a beautiful thing to see. Because Gabe Grunewald being there and running in that race was bigger than any of them. It would turn out to be the last competitive race of her life, but not the end of her story. Not by a long shot.
Her battle wasn't hers alone, and she set up the Brave Like Gabe Foundation to help others in their fight. She was a runner, so, naturally, the foundation's biggest fundraiser is the Brave Like Gabe 5K. A race that Gabe unfortunately had to miss this year because she was in the hospital. There's also a marathon in Waco, TX, started by her friends Chip & Joanna Gaines from HGTV's "Fixer Upper" that raised more than $300,000 for the foundation this year.
Through it all, Gabe Grunewald never lost her fighting spirit. Last weekend, there was some confusion over whether or not she had already passed. The way her husband described it, he was trying to prepare her for death when Gabe took a deep breath and yelled "NOT TODAY!" She wanted a little more time to say goodbye and let others say goodbye to her. A few days later, she told him she was ready. In his Instagram post announcing her death, Justin said that the final words he said to her were "I can't wait until I get to see you again."
So, even though she has passed, Gabe Grunewald will live on. She inspired so many beyond just the running community. She was dealt a rotten hand, yet never complained. Instead, she took it like a champion and battled like a warrior. Brave Like Gabe indeed.
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