I am on one of those journeys today that no one wants to take, but in your heart you know you have to take. It is a journey of remembrance for someone who is no longer with us, who succumbed at a too young age from cancer. It is journey for someone who touched me and many others through is smile, his friendship and his commitments.
I can't say that I knew Joe and his beautiful wife for many years. In fact, our relationship was too short, a couple of years in duration. It began as many of mine do, during a luncheon meeting in a southwest Florida city where I had the opportunity to meet with a number of like-minded people to share with them news about the American Cancer Society and the research we support to reduce the burden and suffering from cancer.
What came through so clearly during my brief introduction to Joe and his wife was that here were two very special people, a couple committed to each other, a couple committed to life, and a couple committed to doing good, to doing for others as a way of saying thanks for the blessings of their lives.
There were a couple of more similar meetings, much along the same line. And then one day the phone call, "Joe has cancer." Without going into details, the cancer was a rare one and localized at the time of diagnosis. Joe was fortunate to be treated at a highly regarded medical center, with excellent surgeons and oncologists. Always the optimist, Joe looked forward to many years of life and health.
Our discussions were brief, and his doctors outlined a course of treatment. Joe and his wife went on living and helping, and I suspect praying as well.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be long afterwards when another call came: the cancer had spread. More discussions, more decisions.
As you have probably determined, Joe's journey was not a successful one. Surrounded by his family, he passed away several weeks ago. His memorial service is scheduled today at a location in south Florida that was near and dear to him. The invitation says it is a celebration of his life, but I know that while there will be happiness in his memories, there will be sadness in many hearts.
When I read an obituary outlining all of his accomplishments, I was stunned. This was truly a man who "gave it his all," throughout his life. He is surely to be missed by those many people he touched during his life.
We all know people like Joe, who live life and love life, the kind of person who on meeting him for the first time welcomes you into his life, where no one is a stranger for long. Joe was one of those people for me. His obituary simply stated, "Joe Roth touched many lives through his eternal optimism. He never met anyone that he didn't consider a friend." Even his email "moniker" "barefootjoe" says a lot about the man whose memory we will celebrate today.
That's why this journey today is not one I had to take, but one I wanted to take. There was never a question in my mind that I wanted to be there with his wife, friends, family and colleagues today to pay respect to an incredibly warm, enthusiastic, accomplished, and terrific person.
We all take journeys in life. Joe's journey ended too soon, like all too many people we have known during our lives. Joe was special to many, and today he serves as a reminder of how special many others are who have met the same fate.
Today, Joe's memory will serve as a memory for all of us. Not just for him, but for those we lose prematurely from our lives, whether it be from cancer or another dread disease or accident. I suspect that Joe would want all of us to celebrate life, and for those of us on this earth to take a moment to remember with fondness and kindness the memories of those many family, friends, colleagues and others who have gone before.
Life is full of sorrow and sadness at times like these. For me, it is Joe's smile, handshake and optimism that I am going to remember today and always, as I go forward on my own journey.
Thanks, Joe. It was too brief, but it meant so much to so many.
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