What a terrible thing. And yet what a wonderful thing that this woman and her brief, brave life should show us all exactly how to live.
3
Wow wow wow. Inspiring. Courageous.
8
To borrow from Grantland Rice: “For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, He writes, not that you won or lost, but how you ran your race."
Your ran very well...
23
Good bye Gabriele. We dedicate our runs to you and Justin this month. You set the pace for the rest of us.
13
Realism and guts are the first and only words. Tears soon follow.
10
Cancer has no mercy and attacks the young and strong. Gabriele trained hard never gave up and was looking forward to participating in the Olympics in 2020.Unfortuately the cancer became more aggressive and weakened her body.She is a true champion and an inspiration to those who are preoccupied by petty things when there is a whole world in front of them to conquer.RIP your are an outstanding athlete.
26
So what, .
I endured cancer last year.
My Aunt was diagnosied with LIVER CANCER ( non drinker) 10 DAYS AGO , aggressive, she died this last sunday due to complete organ failure.
She isnt in the news, and she did make a difference in 1000s of peoples ives..where is Trudy s story?!
5
@Hill billy bob
You just told Trudy's story. Love is never wasted.
10
I have been following Gabriele because we shared a doctor. I continued to follow her because she became an inspiration. I will remember her always because she defined what cancer was to her. I hope to always to be brave like Gabe.
17
Heartbreaking and inspiring. Inspired by milers all my life, but she took toughness to another level. Happy trails, Gabriele, and thank you.
12
What a sad ending to a courageous story. RIP and may the wind be at your back always.
21
In an article in “Runners World,” Gabe said this:
“What am I going to be thinking about on my final days here? I just want to be proud of what I did. I hope what people mainly see is that you can still make something beautiful and something powerful out of a really bad situation....You can still find some good in it. I will never let cancer have the last word.”
Oh, courageous, graceful Gabe. May He raise you up on eagle’s wings.
28
Tragic. God speed, young lady. Hopefully she’s in a better place and is at peace.
8
Life dealt Gabe a tough hand, but she played the game of life to the fullest in spite of what she was dealt.
As one wise person once said;
“It’s not the years in your life that counts. It’s the life in your years that matter.”
She made the most of her few years!
23
Taking nothing away from Gabrielle, I wonder: my son died at the same age, several days after receiving a cancer diagnosis. He had no chance to fight it. Is his life less worthy of chronicling? Because the NYT won't be writing about him or the many other people who don't die in noteworthy ways (car accidents and the like) even though they are just as dead. And we are all just as grieving.
8
@Bereaved parent Every soul counts, every life matters. Cancer is a tough battle to fight. I'm so sorry for your loss. I honor your loss, I pray for your strength through grief & beyond. I believe everyone that has lost someone feels your pain... as it would be their own. Bless you & know we care.❤
36
@Bereaved parent really
5
@Bereaved parent I am sorry for your loss and, especially, what must have been the additional shock and grief caused by the sudden, unexpected diagnosis which left no time to explore possible treatments nor to prepare however one might prepare for such a tragedy.
By highlighting the story of Gabrielle, I think the NYT does not diminish the importance of other people's lives nor the sadness of other people's deaths. I read such stories as proxies for all of humanity. Represented by each person we learn of --who has died or who has triumphed or who has done a good deed -- are the many, many others who have suffered or thrived, all contributing to the rich tapestry of human existence.
Best wishes to you and your family.
33
What a warrior. What a loss. Tragedy & Injustice.
7
Her love for life is a real inspiration and hope it serves to remind those in good health to take care of it.
7
The weaker sex? Hardly.
Gabriele was the strongest thing in the world- an American woman. Travel around- you will not find anything like them elsewhere.
13
There is nothing more life affirming and threatening than your name and a cancer diagnosis.
Making you sensitive and insensitive at the same time about your and others use-by mortality date. Until it happens to you you have no idea how you will react.
How well you live matters way more than how long you live. And those who you love and need will follow your lead.
12
Losing someone when they fought like hell- hurts like hell. She is an inspiration to all of us.
16
RIP to this brave young woman! Never take your health for granted period! Without your health life means nothing! Firmly believe: Humanity is to blame for this! Cancer is coming back more powerful than ever before! With global warming, environmental issues and other setbacks the Trump administration is to blame with all the federal cutbacks towards the environment! Keep hoping and praying for cures/ vaccines and hopefully a New Democratic president in ‘20!
9
@Walker I respect your opinion but whole-heartedly disagree with your statement, “Without your health life means nothing!”
She and countless others prove the opposite to us everyday; one’s life means a lot despite one’s health condition.
It sounds like “Good Health” is your idol. Once your idol is smashed, life is meaningless, how sad for you
1
Gabrielle will be remembered as epitomizing the best of the human condition, an inspiration to her colleagues and competitors, and a champion of the human spirit. Go in peace.
20
Cancer sucks. We like to say words like fought and persevered but they can never ever really show what these folks go through, even with those that aren't elite athletes. I was so hoping she would make it to 2020. Again Cancer sucks....cure it.
30
Better yet, prevent in the first place, because even curative treatments are expensive, painful and disfiguring.
9
Adieu to a brave woman.
15
"You've got to admire a stiff upper lip." I posted this on Gabriele's twitter account several months ago. There aren't enough people in this world that you can truly admire. But this courageous athlete was one of them. May she rest in peace.
23
She had spunk.
15
A good friend of mine died of adenoid cystic carcinoma 11 months ago at age 54. It seems criminal that a woman young enough to be our daughter and in otherwise excellent health was felled by this heinous disease.
23
What an inspirational life. While it is unfair that some people develop illnesses early in life and survive while others do not, it is a reminder to truly cherish each day, spend time with loved ones and enjoy the simple things in life.
20
May you rest in peace, Gabe, and may your family know the comfort of knowing that all of us who heard the news are mourning with them, while admiring your wonderful attitude, courage and determination in the face of these long, despairing odds. When my time comes, I wish to go with a quarter of that in me.
19
What a witness! Her poise and grace and love. And that she shared it so freely. The highest gift.
23
What a sad story but what an amazing woman. She inspires me.
20
I never met Gabe, but one look at a CT scan of her liver that she posted around the same time that she was still competing and I knew she was no ordinary athlete. Proud to live in the same state. Perham kids are tough! Looking forward to going for a run after work.
19
A good life.
“Being brave, for me, means not giving up on the things that make me feel alive"
How much more would we accomplish if we gave up only when we had to, not because we want to?
22
The world just lost a really good soul... I am in awe of the life she lived and I will never take another run for granted ever again. Thank you Gabe for teaching me how to live a better life.
29
This story hit me hard this morning. It makes me wonder "What have I done since I've been cured that could compare to this young woman?" It's really not fair that some of us get cancer, some of us don't, some of us are cured, some aren't. Reading the story of her fight makes me appreciate my own that much more. I'll push a little harder, go a little faster. None of us knows what the tomorrow holds, so we should all strive to be our best today.
55
To think of how this young lady suffered and, again and again, got off the mat to rise above is simply inspirational awe-inspiring and heroic. Now, finally, rise above once more. Godspeed.
34
I live with cancer. If ever i’m inclined to feel sorry for myself, I will think of Gabriele and be inspired to live a full and joyous life one day at a time, and be grateful for the days I’ve been given. I would share my allotment of days with her in a heartbeat, if that were possible. I hope the universe will bring peace and comfort to all those who loved her.
61
@chery. You're an elite person. To share time is the greatest of treasures for Cancer patients. What a beautiful condolence.
18
@cheryllk
I send you strength and love. I hope you conquer it.
17
It's heart breaking to see anyone young die. I'm 71 with Stage IV kidney cancer and received bi-monthly infusions at a hospital clinic staffed by caring and compassionate nurses. Most of we patients were elderly and stoic and accepting. Everyone once in a while there would be a patient in their twenties, and seeing them felt like a punch in the gut. Death is a natural ending to individual life but premature death feels tragic to us. Kyrie eleisan.
74
@David Goldin
I send you peace, love and light.
18
This is a good reminder - live well before you die.
30
Several months after my late son's first operation for brain cancer, I watched him run along the beach in Coronado, California.The sight of him running compared to those of the operation and afterward was thrilling. His figure on the horizon, gracefully moving forward, and freedom to just run were gifts that I still hold now that he is gone to the other side of the horizon.
I hope Gabriele's running brings similar gifts to help her family and friends in this sad time.
105
@Frank
What a beautiful, poetic image you just shared. Thank you so much.
18
Thank you for this article about an amazing human being. Regardless of what one thinks about death and an afterlife, I wish her eternal peace. I also pray for peace for her loved ones, here, still among us. I do have one minor complaint, speaking as a physician. The terminology of a tumor on her "stomach" may or may not be accurate. The stomach is a hollow organ within the abdomen. "Stomach" and "abdomen" are not synonymous. It is advantageous when treating patients if they know this commonly misunderstood distinction. Once again, thank you for this article and all best wishes for peace to her family.
24
My thoughts would be too saccharin, even cheesy, in most any other place … but not here, and not at all:
Dear Gabriele … You lived greater than any earth-bound Olympic champion. A race in the middle-distance of life's beyond must be held in your honor, with you in the running, and first to brake the tape.
Bless you.
33
what a thrill to be at the top of the
peak in a sport like the 1500m, continuing to get faster and competing for an Olympic spot.
incredible will power.
farewell with tears
19
Heartbreaking. Run free now.
40
Rest in eternal peace my felow runner
16
Thank you NY Times for sharing this story.
Maybe someone can remind me why a cure for cancer in NOT a world priority.
31
body betrayed her, but her spirit lives on; a triumph of her humanity.
life can be very unfair.
and arbitrary.
27
What an inspiring life
"I have fought an excellent fight; I have finished my race and I have kept my faith"
20
My Gabriele rest in peace and God be with her family.
12
Amazing woman.
16
A person dealing with this situation is often not equipped to handle it- She was! An amazing woman who dealt with an extraordinary challenge. RIP.
9
Go for a run today. Doesn't matter how fast or far. A quarter mile will do. Marvel that you can do it, treasure it. Time is short, health so precious, life fleeting and fragile. Do it because you can. Do it in honor of this amazing and brave woman. RIP Gabe.
113
I will, thank you! That's an important reminder to me and you stated it so perfectly.
5
That's just heartbreaking. It should make us all feel extremely grateful for all the days we have when we are healthy. My sister died of ovarian cancer at 35. She was so sick from the chemotherapy and she was so angry. She was never ready to go quietly - she wanted to continue to travel, to enjoy good food that no longer tasted the same to her. It broke my heart and I felt helpless. I didn't know how to tell her because it would change nothing. She was young and beautiful like this young woman. It just hurts to know what she went through.
39
What a hero. An inspiration. Condolences to family and friends.
11
The length of a life should not be a measure of its quality. Regretting what we will miss in untimely passing, impairs our appreciation for the miracle of living, and the life lived in the full measure of our days.
9
Thank you NYTimes for following Gabe and telling her story. May she rest in peace. My condolences to her husband, family, and friends.
18
She lived a full life in as long as she was destined to live. We all have a clock ticking and it is up to each of us to do the best we can with the time we have. Gabe proved this with every step she took, with every procedure she endured. I will never be able to run as fast or as far as her but I can follow in her footsteps.
13
I need to quit bellyaching about all my woes at 71.
58
It's good to see an uplifting story in a dreary world. Thank you.
32
Such a sad ending for someone who inspired so many. Gabriele proved that the human body is capable of transcending almost any limitation. The whole running community grieves for her.
42
Wow, talk about courage and determination.
98
Rest In Peace Gabe. The world has lost one of the great ones. If only everyone could be more like you. #NetPositive
51
Rest in peace, Gabe. I grieve for you and your family. You made the world a better place by your being here.
35
What an inspiring person. I'm sad.
43
I believe in prayers for the dead and do so on Fridays at length.
I have her photo now. She’s now in the group I care for. Thanks.
Justin is in a group too...of those bereft.
24
Gabe was also a fighter on the field of play. She was small, but knew when to throw an elbow or a shoulder when another competitor entered her space, especially on tight, indoor tracks. She took that fighting spirt to her cancer; she went down swinging.
27
Such a brave and and “much too young to leave us” woman. She lived her life fully and inspired us all!
11
For Ms. Grunewald to have pursued her athletic goals while battling a vicious cancer is a testimony to the power of the human will. For her to have created her own foundation to rid the world of her form of cancer is a testimony to her personal courage and her compassion for others.
47
I am so sorry. What a blessing and inspiration she was during these fractious times.
21
Her strength is an inspiration. I will dedicate my run to her this morning - and I hope others will as well. Whether you walk or run, I hope all who are able will go outside today and give 1500m in memory of a remarkable woman.
67
What an amazing young woman! May she Rest In Peace.
15
At least this young woman lived her life. She was brave as well.
12
She was a real hero. We should all admire her approach to life. I'm sorry that she didn't have more of it.
21
What an amazing, inspirational and brave woman. Everyone would benefit by knowing this young woman's story.
11
I struggle every day to walk up a couple of flights of stairs, because I'm so out of shape. I'm 52. This young woman, even after her death, has inspired me to take a few more flights of stairs today. Thanks NYT for sharing her story, her brave fight, and tragic loss.
93
@Patty O
Keep going! I'm rooting for you!
36
What a humbling, sad story. Every day of health is a gift. May we honor Gabrielle’s memory by living good and decent lives.
53
May Gabe's strength remain with her family and friends! Her life story is inspiring and we are sorry for the loss of such a brave woman.
5
What a beautiful, amazing and brave woman. She's inspired me to look in the mirror and reevaluate the excuses I tell myself. Condolences to her husband and family. Her love of life and amazing spirit that will live on in the hearts and minds of many.
22
What an amazing life to celebrate. I hope her strength and humanity bring some solace to her loved ones during this time of mourning.
23
What a remarkable, and beautiful, story. Blessings for her spirit and for her family.
15