There are so many people to thank. So many people who helped me - who helped my family. So many who kept us afloat while I recovered. I can never thank you all and I can never thank you enough.
I don't think I can say it any better than I did at the benefit. So here is the speech I gave that night. Thanks to my sister Nancy for recording it. The night went by in a flash and my memory of it remains a blur. Thanks to all who made that possible.
Thanks to FLAT STANLEY for rocking the place!
And thanks to B101's DAN BLACKMAN, our Master of Ceremonies!
The only words that come to me are “ Holy Shit.”
I look around this place an d see all these people and I am so very grateful – that I have my immune system back.
I can’t help but think… wouldn’t it be great if this was the world’s most poorly timed April Fool’s joke? I feel fine. I just wanted to get all my friends together for a party. It’s a shitty reason but I’m glad you’re all here.
I wanted to clear up the most frequently asked question. I don’t know if you have been on my blog, but the most commonly asked question I get is – just to answer it - Yes, I have leukemia. Yes, it is a form of cancer. And no, it is not the type of cancer they give you weed for. So stop asking.
From the audience: Are you sure?
As far as you know.
This is, uh… somebody came up with the word, “humbling.” And that’s about right. This is amazing. I don’t know how to handle all this attention. I’m sure my Dad is up there somewhere walking in circles and shaking his head. But what I know of grace I have learned from my Mother. So I will try to do this as gracefully as possible.
Thank you all for being here. Thank you all for coming out. It’s just – humbling.
I need to mention a few names out of many hundred. First of all, every day I go to get chemo at a place called the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine. Which is, if you haven’t been there is like the starship Enterprise. It is going to make Philadelphia a world class center for cancer treatment. When I walk in in the morning I walk past this large bronze of the names of the people who have donated to make that place possible.
Two of the names are Ellen and Jerry Lee. Ellen is on the board of the Abramson Cancer Center and Jerry is the founder with Dave Kurtz of B101 Radio, our sponsor here tonight. It is great to know people who can look beyond the horizon and see what we will need not today or tomorrow but in ten years and in the future and bring that here to Philadelphia. So I want to thank Ellen and Jerry Lee.
So many people at B101 have done amazing things to make tonight possible. And I want to thank them. I really want to mention two names, General Manager Blaise Howard and Station Manager, Bill Boone. For two reasons. The first of which is, when I got sick and Bonnie had to come and help me, the only thing they ever said was, “Go!” And that is amazing.
The second reason which is somewhat less prosaic. In this business environment when people are looking to cut back, they have made the business decision to invest in their people and not cut back on things like health insurance. And I can tell you that I am not the only person in this room whose life that has saved. So thank you for your business acumen and for taking care of your people.
That brings me to the Gang of Six. Bonnie and I have had nothing to do with this party tonight. There are six people here who have put this all together and have done an unbelievable job.
Jeanne Behr. Where’s Jeanne?
The amazing Maria Sylvester
Heather Crosby.
The great Brian Kaiser
The great John Costello.
And my dear friend Alan Barlow.
If you’re having a good time, it is because of them.
From the audience: And if you’re not, it’s not our fault.
I gotta tell you that in addition to this, they are truly dear, dear friends who, when I got sick were there for whatever we needed. Whether it was dinner or watch the kids or whatever, they were there and I am truly forever grateful.
I think I have some nurses here tonight. Where are my nurses? There they are. I invited all of my doctors but none of them RSVP’d so to hell with them. We can talk about them. There is something with this health plan I am on. Somehow I got on the Hot Nurses program. I’ll tell you that when somebody is waking you up every 15 minutes to take your blood pressure it really helps stop you from taking a swing at them.. I am convinced that the University of Pennsylvania could increase their endowment if they all just had a calendar or a video. Nurses of the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania. Not a great title, but there are a few dozen producers here tonight. So, Girls…
If there are angels walking the earth, the odds are they are nurses. I spend a lot of time – as do many of you – working in and around the healthcare field. And until I was part of it, I never really understood it. And I will say this tonight – because my doctors are not here tonight - that a doctor may cure you, but a nurse will save your life. Thank you.
There is a list – longer than I am tall – of people who sent cards and emails and brought food to the house and who appeared out of nowhere. People who I have not seen in 10 or 15 years who when they found out that I was sick came to my rescue. And I can never thank them all enough. And I can never thank you all enough for a thousand kindnesses. So please accept this big blanket thank you for everyone.
You can’t do this without family. They have been there for everything that we’ve needed. Many many years ago when I was young and stupid.
(My sister) Nancy: Amen!
I said to my friend Tony, Why would anybody ever want to get married? Now that I am older and wiser… wise-er – I have come to realize that if you are very very lucky you get married and you get to spend your life with someone as wonderful as my wife Bonnie. If you ever need a reason to live – that’s it. That's my reason.
That’s pretty much it. I just wanted to say just one more thing. And that is... Every Christmas – including this past one, my family sits around the TV Christmas Eve and watches “It’s A Wonderful Life.” And this Christmas we did the same thing in the hospital. Bonnie, me and the kids sitting on the hospital bed watching “It’s A Wonderful Life” on my little 12 inch laptop. And it was great to feel a little normal.
I have always loved that movie and I have always felt that it was movie that made you feel grateful for, uh…
[John hands Dave a tissue. Everyone laughs. Dave dabs at eyes.]
It’s coming…
It always made you feel grateful for what you have. Tonight I understand the ending of that movie. George Bailey, Jimmy Stewart, gets a book from Clarence the angel and it says, “No man is a failure who has friends.” And tonight, like George Bailey, I am the richest man in town.
Thank you all. Thank you very much.
