David Cook Speaks
As we mentioned this weekend, American Idol winner David Cook's older brother, Adam, passed away Saturday from brain cancer after battling the disease for years.
On Sunday, David participated in the Race For Hope in D.C. to help raise money and awareness to fight against brain tumors, where he briefly touched on Adam's passing.
And, now, Cook has taken to his official blog to talk about the tragic loss of his older brother.
He says:
"On Behalf of My Family and Myself"
I wanted to write everyone and say a few things, in light of recent events, to dispel any misinformation that may be circulating and to say thank you on behalf of my family and myself to everyone who has shown even the slightest bit of support to us and our efforts as a family to help eradicate this terrible affliction.
My brother, Adam, passed away at 11:52pm Eastern, May 2nd. He was 37 years old and leaves behind his wife and two children. We had played Sunfest in West Palm Beach that night, walking off stage at approximately 11:00pm Eastern, and I rushed to get on a plane to fly to Washington D.C., to be a part of the Race For Hope-D.C., a fundraiser for research and development of a cure for brain cancer. I learned of Adam’s passing upon getting to my hotel around 3:00am Eastern. I decided to run in the race, despite all of this, for two reasons. First, my brother never wanted his illness to affect others. That was evident in the fact that he wanted his illness to have no part in my experience on Idol, a point he was quite adamant about. So, with that wish in mind, I ran and was involved with the event as an homage to him. Secondly, there are many people who are still battling, and by running and sharing my brother’s story, I hope that it offers those still fighting that much more resolve to not succumb to this wretched disease.
I want to again thank everyone who donated to the race and continues to donate, sent a kind email, posted thoughts and prayers, called, etc. I take it as affirmation that my brother was the great man that I knew, and whose ideals I constantly try to uphold in myself. It is with those ideals in tow that I vow to continue to speak out in hopes of raising whatever necessary to help eliminate cancer entirely.
Also, I mentioned earlier that Adam never wanted his illness to affect anyone. So, with the exception of our Toledo, OH, show on May 6th, which we will do everything possible to reschedule, all other shows will go on as scheduled.
Lastly, thank you to everyone for allowing us, as a family, to grieve and come to terms privately. This event has shown me, beyond doubt, that I have the greatest people in my life, family, friends, and fans alike, and for that, I can never offer enough thanks.
~D
Stay strong, David.
Our thoughts are with ya!
[Image via WENN.]
GaGa Does It Again
Cancer is such a horrible thing to have happen to the family. My thoughts and prayers are with David and his family.
so sad, this guy is truly an inspiration
IT TAKES A TRULY STRONG PERSON TO RUN A RACE RIGHT AFTER THEIR BROTHERS DEATH…I COULD NEVER DO THAT…MY PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILY…
And yet a few weeks back you were calling him a whiner because he wanted some privacy…gag me
MY HEART GOES OUT TO HIM AND HIS FAMILY. SADLY I KNOW THE FEELING. THEY'LL THINK OF HIM EVERYDAY. YOU ALL ARE IN MY PRAYERS!
Again, just heartbreaking. Kudos to David for his drive and passion to honor his brother's name. If not for his brother, he wouldn't have auditioned for Idol in the first place. I send all of my love and condolences to him and his family. Especially to Adam's children. I knew he had a wife, but I didn't know he had kids, and I can't fathom what they are feeling right now.
Wow - this makes it sound like some people had the ignorant, cruel, stupid audacity to criticize his participation in the race. If they did, F-them. Bravo, David, for such class and compassion and wherewithall. No one knows and loves your family the way you do, and no one has any place or standing to doubt your love and devotion and respect for your brother, which you made so beyond abundantly clear. Know that you and your family are wished peace, compassion and hope and support unending. Hang in there.
We all need to eat organic foods, forcing conventional companies to go organic, distill our water, stop cooking onto aluminum pans, and storing our food in plastic. We need to stop eating processed foods, and living lifestyles that are not healthy for our well being. We need to fast regularly, as the ancient great philosophers and mathmeticians did. We need to drain our lymph nodes, breathe and stretch. We need to eat the seeds of fruit, which KILLS cancer. Apple seeds have B-17, a vitamin that attacks cancerous cells. The trace amount of cyanide in peaches attacks cancer. No you won't die if you eat one. Eat 50 and yes, but that's unnessecary. Educate yourselves and live well!
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This is so so sad !
David is so strong, and he should stay atrong because hes got a lot of support from friends and family and fans~ just like he said.~
Stay strong david.
Saw David in concert last night. We were pleseantly surprised that he decided to not cancel the show. He was wondeful by the way! He was sure to thank the fans not only for attending shows and buying albums, but also for all the support they give. He was a class act throughout. RIP Adam!
Hey David ( Pig face ) Get lost… You aren't a diva or anything close and you aren't the only who lost a family member. Families from Iraq soldiers do everyday so what you think you are so important dumb ass !
His dying brother was the only reason he won. He used his dying brother as a sob story to get everyone to feel sorry for him. I bet he's rushing to release an album now so he can use his brother's death for more pity and media attention.
Are you all serious? "David is so strong, he is such an inspiration" Strang because he is still alive? An inspriation because he outlived his brother? Yall are idiots. Thats like when the media calls a firfighter a hero for saving someone in a burning house, he is not a hero, he is just doing his job…..
Wow, what a positive, strong man he is! My heart goes out to David and all the Cook family members and friends. I lost my dad to melanoma so I know firsthand how hard it is to lose a loved one to a hideous, vicious disease after a long battle. With all the brlliant scientists in this world it's hard to believe that no one has been able to come up with a complete cure for cancer.
Nice of him to post his thanks now.
I think what he did was very selfless and inspirational, deciding to support that cause and the survivors there when his brother had just died.
I've made my donation.
Such a beautiful (and of course heartbreaking) blog entry, at a time when it would be COMPLETELY understandable for him to have too much else on his mind to write a letter to the fans.
He is a beautiful, beautiful person inside and out, and I am sure that Adam is so very proud of him
Re: bugaboo78 – You don't think it's inspiring that he put his own HUGE personal grief aside mere hours after such a loss, for the sake of the greater cause? That he got out there and ran a 5k race, and did press, and made the announcement up there in public for all the world to see, not because it was what was EASIEST for him, but because he was selfless enough to recognize that just because he may be hurting and feeling helpless, others are still fighting and need the hope and encouragement?
I'm sorry, I find that INCREDIBLY inspiring. Now of course this is not meant to take aaanything away whatsoever from Adam, who David would undoubtedly agree is the true inspiration here. But you know what? In it's own way, I almost think that watching someone you love suffer for so long can probably be about as hard as being the one to suffer. So yes, the fact that Cook is getting out there and continuing to spread the encouragement and hope in honor of his brother, even though it would probably be a million times easier for him to just curl up and revert from the world for a while, IS inspirational to me.
Re: snl89 – Thank you for saying what I was thinking. To think that people are crticizing Cook because he's showing support for those affected by a terrible disease hours after learning his brother died from the disease. I'm certainly happy that Cook isn't a "diva" (DSummerfan your comment is disgusting) in this case and he certainly NEVER exploited his brother during American Idol, because he never mentioned his brother in that fashion.
He looks so cute in that picture.
i just love david so much and am completely heartbroken for him and his family.
Running for his brother was an amazing thing. My thoughts are with David and his family.
So damned sad.