Ok. Now the brief is to come up with a witty and appropriate caption for this picture. It's my mate, Darbster and his personal Hercules. It was taken in his garden, not the Vatican Museum.
It's gonna be featured in an article all about him and Ruth in the local paper. For those of you that haven't heard their tragic story ( and I'm slacking in my job as International PR Extraordinaire if there are more than a couple of you), I'll give you a short, poignant summary.
Ruth was beautiful, funny, gregarious, caring, magnetic and wonderful. She was a 30-year old mother of 2 gorgeous boys, Max & Sam, aged 3 and 18 months. She was feeling tired just after Christmas last year, not unusual for a busy, young Mum. Eventually she went to the doctor for a pick-me-up. She was diagnosed with leukaemia. It was Thursday. She died the following Tuesday morning.
Nothing can change Richard and Ruth's sad story, but he's determined to do as much as he can to prevent it happening to another loving family. I'm trying to help him.
He's running in the Flora London Marathon on 23 April. He's been training daily for months, taking part in the Great North Run and more recently in the British Half-Marathon Race at Silverstone where he beat his Personal Best by 23 minutes but missed his goal of inside 1hr 45 mins by just 2 seconds when he was legged up by a Blue Peter cameraman at the eighth mile and didn't even get a Badge by way of apology.
The Comedy Night tomorrow was my way of supporting him, boosting him along his way and raising a few extra quid for his charity, Elimination of Leukaemia Fund. I mucked it up a bit by accidentally booking it on his and Ruth's Anniversary but Richard, in his typically benevolent and equananimous style, has chosen to verbally, if not cellularly, forgive me. But it's made me even more determined to ensure that the whole thing is a success.
Please help inspire a caption for the picture. Take a look at www.justgiving.com/darbster to learn a bit more ( if you leave a comment there I will follow your blogs eternally) and tune in Tusday to hear how it all went and find out what time to turn on "Look North".
posted by Cherrypie at 1:18 am
9 Comments:
Girlfriend ... what a touching story. : )
I will think on this and send several other bloggers your way! K?
Good for U for being so supportive, we Tarts are proud to have U in our ranks! ; )
Smooches & Cherry Hugs,
The Tart
Oh my. What a heartbreaking story. I hope he finds comfort in the fund raising!
I do hope your Comedy Night goes well. It seems like you have done everything you could to ensure its success. I can see that he might not feel up to a night out on this first anniversary without Ruth, but it does seem appropriate in a way to be raising money in her honor on the anniversary of their marriage.
I stared at that picture for five minutes, but nothing either funny or appropriate came to me at all. There are so many witty bloggers, but I'm not one of them. Best of luck, though!
Cordially,
Melora
Wow! What a touching story. It's kind of odd that I found your blog this weekend. I also read a book about a little boy with leukemia, read a very sad blog about a woman whose husband died of leukemia, and found out a woman in my town has leukemia - all this weekend. It makes me a little nervous. It's really great what you're doing. I hope you make a lot for the cause!!
You should know that it's always the guys in the yellow startrek uniform that comes a cropper. better get the boy to wear his red star trek uniform and he'll be fine.
I don't usually struggle to find something witty or humorous (in my opinion) to say but that is such a sad & touching story I'm lost for ideas.
Good luck with the fundraising, sounds like you're doing a great job.
I so badly want to come through for you right now. I look at the picture and all I can think of is how I wish the statue was Ruth instead. Its horrible and sad. I hate to say that he's lucky at all, but I am so grateful that he has loving people like you in his circle.
Jocelyn (?are you Jody and Joli's more glamorous triplet?)- thank you for the cherry hugs. I l noticed the cherry kisses on your Illustration Friday and wished I'd come up with that.
Wally's gorgeous picture would be just perfect for my Profile, about to kiss yet another frog. You lucky girl.
Melora - it was fantastic and Richard now plans to hold the event every year on the same date. We've already started the planning for next year.
Tri-Mommy - they say things come in threes so you've already used up your quota. You'll be fine. It's lovely to meet you, by the way
Mr. Da Hat - you've met Richard before then
Seany - do you fancy being our opening act next year?
Joyce - the best I could come up with was "Richard asks Hercules if he has the number for his mate, Mercury's Training Shoe retailer" but have since suggested "Richard looks upon the last stony face in the village" after we had everyone rolling in their seats.
PC Payne - you are so going to get dinner cooked for you very very soon, you lovely lump of loveliness xx
Oh! I forgot to say thank you so much for your collective kind wishes. I was really anxious about the whole thing and you helped tremendously. xxx
Yes I'm sure I've seen Ensign Richard of engineering on Startrek Voyager just before he was vapourised by the Kayson. He seems to have made a remarkable recovery. Hang on I've just got to do a level three diagnostic on my lazyboy recliner and I'll be back.
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