Maybe, I am a little slow, I know I am when I am racing 
However, if you haven’t read it on his own web site waronals.com, you should check it out on www.tdottriathlon.com.
They posted Blazeman’s last poem that he wrote with Scott Tinley, it’s pretty amazing.
bump.
Blazeman raced Ironman knowing he had a fatal disease and would die relatively soon after. If that does not deserve respect I don’t know what does.
Amen to that. I found out last week that I have to have major surgery on my knee, at first I was down,but I began to think of Jon and all he went through and it was hard to feel sorry for myself.
I know this is a touchy subject. And I’m not in any way trying to be a pompous ASS. But why exactly does this deserve respect?
I mean I would care greatly and do anything I could humanly do to support or give someone in a life threatening situation their wishes to the end. But I’m not sure why this would demand respect.
But I’m not sure why this would demand respect.
I find it a bit amazing that this question has been asked. Yet, I’ll answer:
The concept of respect has it’s roots in perspective, namely that the object of respect has a different perspective than the subject. English linguistic development following Shakespeare illustrates that we show respect out of a desire to learn and potentially emulate those we observe. Initial sixteenth century usage reflects this meaning: To regard, consider, take into account or To heed, pay attention to; to observe carefully. By the seventeenth century value was implied, namely because the subject was inevitably moving toward the position of the object and observation could prove useful to the subject: *To relate to, as regards the effect or result produced and, finally, To treat or regard with deference, esteem, or honour; to feel or show respect for. *We show respect by observing, noticing, or marking the lives of others because their actions can inform our behavior when we arrive in their situation.
Blazeman dealt with the situation of impending death - which is also our situation - very well, in a way that deserves notice and recognition (you can dispute this). He lived out the ideals latent in Dylan Thomas’ poem Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night that I, and many others on this board, would like to live out.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
You ARE joking, right BH20B? I hope.
me
No. Like I said. I have deep deep truly heart fealt sympathy for anyone with a life threatening illness. It’s a sad sad situation that only get worse as it progresses. But, respect, I don’t see that for doing an IM. If for something other than completing IM possibly but maybe I’m not understanding this correctly. What exactly is the respect for? Maybe there’s a better adjective that best describes this. Courage. Now courage I’d definitely understand. Blazeman had courage. That definitely was a courageous feat.
Fair enough, I can uderstand your view!
But isn’t the point of Caleb’s post that Blazeman’s courage (or whatever it is that each reader interprets it to be) inspires/demands respect from the observer? I, for one, certainly respect the courage, strength, and determination that drove him to accomplish his goal in the face of intense difficulty. I would hope that I, too, could exhibit such traits if I found myself in the same situation as him.
If you do not respect those attributes in him, that is your personal prerogative.
Even when you are dealt a shi**y hand you can still play your cards well. Jon played his well and is certainly worthy of our RESPECT
Some of you may remember that I posted about a co-worker that revealed his ALS diagnosis to us about 7 months ago now…and to watch him on virtually a daily basis (fortunately he has been spending less and less time here to do other things while he still can) deteriorate…well, it’s a hard thing to witness. His motor skills are going downhill very quickly, and it’s hard to see him fumble with keys, struggle to open a bottle of water, simply walk from point A to point B in a straight line. His attitude hasn’t changed, though, and you can tell the mind is working overtime. But the body is not cooperating.
I talk with his wife from time to time (she works here as well) and she is doing what she can to at least outwardly exhibit a positive attitude…but I can see the stress on her as well.
So I bump this in honor and respect for Jon Blais and how he handled himself post diagnosis, as well as in honor and respect for my friend going through this very thing as we speak.
I find that very often I disagree with popular opinion regarding whom to respect.
But this one seems easy. Even if someone did an IM facing no unusual physical obstacles and did it purely for personal reasons (neither of which describes Blais), I think that’s worthy of respect. They might have other bad qualities that cancel it out. But, to devote oneself to a difficult task and see it through is an admirable thing. We should acknowledge and encourage that.
Most of the great things that are achieved in this world require a great deal of commitment. It’s a relatively rare quality. People want quick gratification. Doing an IM may not have much intrinsic virtue, apart from the fact that it is hard. But that is precisely the point. As JFK said at the start of the moon project, “we do not do these things because they are easy, but because they are hard” (or words to that effect).
I understand your point. Given a life ending illness, and with the short term retention of physical capabilities, I’m sure many of us here would want to complete and IM, or IM Hawaii, or maybe even some physical challenge that we had not done before. I don’t think that demands respect or requires courage, at least no more than the next guy who completes the same challenge.
That being said, the onset of ALS had stepped up in Jon’s case a few weeks prior to Hawaii which inhibited his control over one arm (I believe, maybe both). Swimming and doing a traditionally windy bike course without full control of the bike takes a little more in this case than it would for the rest of us. For that some courage and determination is required and therefore respect is earned.
But where Blazeman gets my respect and admiration is for the way he addressed his situation. The fact that he was able to gain notoriety for his achievements and parlay that fame into a means of attacking the disease so that others that follow may one day stand a better chance of survival. Not all of us would have/could have done that part.
Ooops, sorry to open a can of whoop a-s. I thought it was a great poem from a great guy?
Maybe if you had to watch a parent (or loved one) die of this shi**y disease you would understand why one that battles to the very end and makes it his mission to find a cure for others deserves respect. It is a horrible disease that tries to strip it’s victims of all dignity. Any one that has the courage to fit back deserves admiration and respect.