A story that makes losing the Carolina game a little easier to take

[Billy Dat]

It was a final amazing moment for a devoted 27 year old Heel fan who attended the game and lost her battle with cancer this morning. Go to Heaven, Meredith Legg Stapleton, Go to Heaven.

http://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3350&ATCLID=209415803

[duke96]

It was a final amazing moment for a devoted 27 year old Heel fan who attended the game and lost her battle with cancer this morning. Go to Heaven, Meredith Legg Stapleton, Go to Heaven.

http://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3350&ATCLID=209415803

Thanks for the post, Billy. Great story.

[FerryFor50]

Dang it. Now I am kinda glad they won. RIP Meredith Legg.

[Indoor66]

It was a final amazing moment for a devoted 27 year old Heel fan who attended the game and lost her battle with cancer this morning. Go to Heaven, Meredith Legg Stapleton, Go to Heaven.

http://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3350&ATCLID=209415803

What a wonderful story and life. Tomorrow I will smile at the blue sky and think of Meredith and her Carolina Blue moment. Tonight I dry my tears. Bless you.

[summerwind03]

Damn cancer. What a story.

[Channing]

It's just a game ... We get caught up in it but in reality it is just a game. Sometimes though it can mean so much more.

[throatybeard]

Holy moly.

I had never heard of ocular melanoma before 2012, when my friend was diagnosed with it. He had monayyyy, and he was able to make frequent trips to Mayo all the way from Arizona. They had it under control with some experimental drugs for perhaps a year, and the weirdest thing to me was he looked totally fine--he said he felt like crap for a few hours after a treatment, and then it was back to normal. I knew him through classical music circles. He continued traveling with his GF (I think she was), all over the country to performances. He almost went to freaking Wexford (Ireland) before a setback about six weeks before he died.

I saw him for the first time in five years March last year, when I went to NYC for Parsifal and Francesca da Rimini. At 37, I've slowed down, and I love Don Carlo, but was just like, I'm too tired to sit through three performances in 28 hours, so I'll skip the matinee. I spent the day meeting a girl I liked in HS, her husband, and her twin-filled belly that was about to pop. So my friend, the dude had cancer that would kill him nine months to the day later, and he did all three of those performances plus the Met Council Auditions concert (for which he was a regional judge in Arizona). My healthy lazy I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this.I'm a real wanker for saying this. can't hoist itself out of bed by noon for one of the masterpieces of the art form, and he has cancer and makes all four performances in about a 44-hour window. Amazing.

He also made it here to see OTSL in June, and facilitated my meeting two of the singers, whom I'd have no way of meeting otherwise.

I have no idea how I'd proceed if I were the sick person, but I have lost what feels like a lot of friends (I have a lot of friends who are older than I), and I have come to really appreciate the people who share all the info with us. It's fine if you don't--obviously, that's your choice--but I really appreciate knowing what's going on. In July, the mets proceeded not only from his liver but to other distant areas that aren't an eye, and they told him they could try something else, but it probably wouldn't work, and he decided to forego further non-palliative treatment. And he told us on Facebook. It just went quickly after that.

At that time, I quickly decided I didn't care if it cost a bunch of money, I was going to go out to Seattle during the 2013 Ring to see him for what I knew would be one last time. I new he'd be at the Ring. I bought a plane ticket and got a hotel room and shore leave granted by my wife. But the semester had started, so it had to be the Saturday performance, which happened to be Siegfried. Now, different people have different favorites, but like I don't know, 90% of Wagner people like Die Walküre best of the four Ring operas.

I tried to play it all casual like, like I was just sauntering 2/3 of the way across the country on a specific weekend just to see Siegfried. But I could tell, he and his ladyfriend knew I was full of crap--they knew I came out to see him one last time. He died on 9 December on a cruise with her, or being helicoptered to Miami or something. She made the sweetest gesture to me about a month after the funeral--she said he had a jacket, and she'd like to send it to me. It was a 2005 Ring jacket from Seattle Opera. I have the same jacket from the same year, but in L. I weigh about 35 lbs more now, and his jacket--he was taller than I am--was an XL. So basically I'm too big for the L. My friend's coat has been hugging me this month.

I'll remember this UNC woman in connection with my friend, and this weird cancer.

[PallasAthena]

My spouse, Dr. PallasAthena, is both a physician and an opera freak, so we both loved your story. He says your visit was more than serendipity. You were rewarded with the best of the Ring, Siegfried, because you were doing a mitzvah - visiting the sick. And if there aren't about ten different cultures mixed in there, I haven't tried hard enough!

We had a new grandchild arrive in NYC, ten blocks from Lincoln Center, so the new daddy took the old grandpa (Dr. PallasAthena) to see Die Fledermaus. Fun, and appropriate to the occasion. Mom and I sat with the new baby, who was singing pretty good herself.

[hustleplays]

It was a final amazing moment for a devoted 27 year old Heel fan who attended the game and lost her battle with cancer this morning. Go to Heaven, Meredith Legg Stapleton, Go to Heaven.

http://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3350&ATCLID=209415803

Thank you for sharing this article. Her resilience, courage and optimism, and her family's love, are inspiring. God Bless.

[gep]

Thank you for sharing this article. Her resilience, courage and optimism, and her family's love, are inspiring. God Bless.

(bolded part above... very important, I think) Thank you from me too... too young, very brave, very inspiring. As another posted above, makes the Duke loss almost irrelevant. I'm happy she got to experience it.

Now... the next unc game at Cameron... GO DUKE!!!!!

[jv001]

What a courageous young lady. My prayers go out to Christopher and the family. I'm so thankful she was able to see the game in person and I can honestly say this. I'm glad she got to see the Tar Heels win. It really is just a game. Cancer is a terrible word to hear. My wife and I had to hear that word in October when doctors told my son, Jeff that he had Hodgkin Lymphoma. He had just turned 25 years old and he and his wife had just celebrated their first anniversary. The doctors have said that the success rate for this type of cancer is good because of his young age. But that doesn't make it any easier. He just finished his last(we hope) chemo treatment. We should know the results mid-March and we know God is in control. I would appreciate your prayers. I feel bad about even mentioning this on this thread about this wonderful young ladies thread. Please forgive me, but we need your prayers. Beat CANCER!!!!!!!!!

[Mike Corey]

Thank you so much for sharing this sad yet uplifting story. May she be at peace; may her family find comfort despite this tragedy.

We must beat this dreaded disease.

[rsvman]

Wow.

Kinda wish I hadn't read that. I have to go see patients in a couple of minutes and I look a mess now..........

[Billy Dat]

What a courageous young lady. My prayers go out to Christopher and the family. I'm so thankful she was able to see the game in person and I can honestly say this. I'm glad she got to see the Tar Heels win. It really is just a game. Cancer is a terrible word to hear. My wife and I had to hear that word in October when doctors told my son, Jeff that he had Hodgkin Lymphoma. He had just turned 25 years old and he and his wife had just celebrated their first anniversary. The doctors have said that the success rate for this type of cancer is good because of his young age. But that doesn't make it any easier. He just finished his last(we hope) chemo treatment. We should know the results mid-March and we know God is in control. I would appreciate your prayers. I feel bad about even mentioning this on this thread about this wonderful young ladies thread. Please forgive me, but we need your prayers. Beat CANCER!!!!!!!!!

Best wishes, jv001. The advances in successfully treating hematologic malignancies, like lymphoma, have really exploded over the past 5-10 years. It's a different, and better, ballgame now.

For what it's worth, on all the Dickie V bashing threads, I always think about the amount of $ the guy raises for cancer research. I don't expect people to consider the whole person when criticizing, but that dude has a heart of gold and is a tireless cancer fundraiser.

[Ggallagher]

It was a final amazing moment for a devoted 27 year old Heel fan who attended the game and lost her battle with cancer this morning. Go to Heaven, Meredith Legg Stapleton, Go to Heaven.

http://www.goheels.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3350&ATCLID=209415803

Thank you so much for posting the article. Knowing that this basketball game brought some amount of happiness at the end of Meredith's sadly shortened life, completely changes how I initially felt about the outcome.
Prayers to her family.

[jv001]

Best wishes, jv001. The advances in successfully treating hematologic malignancies, like lymphoma, have really exploded over the past 5-10 years. It's a different, and better, ballgame now.

For what it's worth, on all the Dickie V bashing threads, I always think about the amount of $ the guy raises for cancer research. I don't expect people to consider the whole person when criticizing, but that dude has a heart of gold and is a tireless cancer fundraiser.

Thanks Billy and I really like Dickie V. I don't listen to his broadcasting of the games but I respect him for what he does in an effort to stamp out cancer. He's a nice guy that promotes others and not so much himself. I hope to see a cure for this dreaded disease one day and it can't come quickly enough. Once again thanks for you best wishes. GoDuke!

[oldnavy]

Wow.

Kinda wish I hadn't read that. I have to go see patients in a couple of minutes and I look a mess now..........

Just shows how much you care, good on you!

[andyw715]

Sure is dusty in here :( .....

[topps coach]

Meridith and my son dated for two years at USC-Aiken and she was a great person.I am not surprised at her courage. RIP

[CDu]

Someday, hopefully soon, we will beat cancer for good. Not in time for my grandparents or, more recntly, for a good friend of mine. But hopefully soon. I hate that stories like this have to occur. Glad that she got any small bit of pleasure out of the game.

And of course, best wishes to you and your family jv001. I will think good thoughts for a successful treatment and speedy recovery!

[jv001]

Someday, hopefully soon, we will beat cancer for good. Not in time for my grandparents or, more recntly, for a good friend of mine. But hopefully soon. I hate that stories like this have to occur. Glad that she got any small bit of pleasure out of the game.

And of course, best wishes to you and your family jv001. I will think good thoughts for a successful treatment and speedy recovery!

And for that, I'm mighty thankful. Beat CANCER!

[oldnavy]

What a courageous young lady. My prayers go out to Christopher and the family. I'm so thankful she was able to see the game in person and I can honestly say this. I'm glad she got to see the Tar Heels win. It really is just a game. Cancer is a terrible word to hear. My wife and I had to hear that word in October when doctors told my son, Jeff that he had Hodgkin Lymphoma. He had just turned 25 years old and he and his wife had just celebrated their first anniversary. The doctors have said that the success rate for this type of cancer is good because of his young age. But that doesn't make it any easier. He just finished his last(we hope) chemo treatment. We should know the results mid-March and we know God is in control. I would appreciate your prayers. I feel bad about even mentioning this on this thread about this wonderful young ladies thread. Please forgive me, but we need your prayers. Beat CANCER!!!!!!!!!

I will certainly keep your family in my prayers...

[jv001]

I will certainly keep your family in my prayers...

Thanks oldnavy. God bless.

[daveduke76]

Very powerful, our loss was a blessing in disguise.

Tom Hart mentioned this story on the broadcast last night as well.\

God Bless

[NYBri]

What a wonderful story and life. Tomorrow I will smile at the blue sky and think of Meredith and her Carolina Blue moment. Tonight I dry my tears. Bless you.

This...times two.

[sagegrouse]

Shortly after I attempted to view the article -- over the strenuous objections of my security service, TrendMicro -- my Comcast e-mail was hacked. I have no idea, as yet, what other damage was done.

[-jk]

Shortly after I attempted to view the article -- over the strenuous objections of my security service, TrendMicro -- my Comcast e-mail was hacked. I have no idea, as yet, what other damage was done.

Did your TrendMicro id goheels or some advertising insert as the problem? DBR has occasionally had reports of advertisers' content being troublesome. But the main site and board have been clean.

-jk

[sagegrouse]

Did your TrendMicro id goheels or some advertising insert as the problem? DBR has occasionally had reports of advertisers' content being troublesome. But the main site and board have been clean.

-jk

I dunno, and the page was blank when I got there.

[Utley]

What at great story.

It is just a game, isn't it?

I sit here having allowed in some stuff life has thrown my way the last 6 months and I read this and all I can think is you are such a wimp. Positive thoughts your way jv001.