Another Friend Lost To Pancreatic Cancer

Peter with his trademark smile

This week has started off roughly.  I got a call on Sunday night from my friend Peter's wife Sue.  The pancreatic cancer that he had fought so valiantly took him from this world so quickly that I couldn't believe it was real.  In fact I listened to the voice mail twice before I actually accepted that it was a fact.  Peter's fight lasted about 2 years - a milestone for anyone fighting this disease.  I have only known Peter for a little over a year.  We met at a meeting for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.  I became involved in this organization after a life long friend of mine, Karen Petty, passed away due to this disease after a valiant 2-1/2 year fight.  Peter and I instantly hit it off.  I had just completed a one day 200 mile solo bicycle ride to raise money for pancreatic cancer in Karen's memory.  Peter, being a cyclist for much of his life, instantly found a common thread with me.  He thought the bike ride was just great.  We went on to work together, along with other volunteers, in planning a large walk called Purple Stride Rhode Island in May 2011.  Peter's incredible energy and positive attitude, in the face of fighting one of the most deadly cancers, was totally awe inspiring to me.  I am a guy who is impressed by grit and toughness, but Peter did it without the tough guy act.  He just went on with his daily life while fighting his cancer as a matter of course.  I know he suffered, but he did not show it outwardly to us.  Pure guts.  I instantly fell in love with the guy.

Leading up to and after the Purple Stride Walk, Peter showed an intense interest in helping me make the Karen Petty Double Century Bike Ride Against Pancreatic Cancer an even bigger success than it was the year before.  We spoke at least once a week, and planned our fundraising efforts together.  Peter even enlisted his nephew Tyler to ride along with myself and my good friend Greg.  Together we raised about $18,000 for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.  The most impressive part of the whole day was the fact that Peter was there at 3:00 am in the morning when we started from Karen's House in West Warwick, RI.  He was so pumped up!  I swear the guy had a smile on his face all day.  As we rode up he fixed bicycles, kept us from getting lost, waved signs and cheered like a maniac, and just was totally incredible.  He spent 14 hours in a car just to make sure we got there in style, all while fighting the pancreatic cancer in his body.  Never once did I see him appear tired or out of sorts.  Pure guts and love.  When we arrived at the end of the ride in Thornton, NH, Peter met most of Karen Petty's family, and he knew instantly why it is that I do what I do to honor Karen and her family.  He couldn't say enough times how much he enjoyed all of their company, and how welcome he felt.

More recently, leading up to November, Peter helped me plan our annual awareness event and vigil for Pancreatic Cancer survivors and those who have passed.  That was Nov. 20th.  Peter as always stepped up to the plate to help me out with everything he could.  He showed up to the event with tables, chairs, extension cords, and a whole lot of energy as always.  He got up in front of a crowd of 300 people and made an awesome speech, and presented me with a quilt made by a family member that has photos of our bike ride adventure together.  I was truly honored to feel so important to a guy that I admired so much.  I will treasure that quilt for the rest of my life.  After the event I knew Peter was having some health issues, but it didn't sound like anything he hadn't been through before.  I read his Caring Bridge posts, and he sounded upbeat as always, talking about new treatments.  Pure guts.  Three weeks to the day after the Purple Light event that we attended together so successfully, Peter suddenly succumbed to the disease he fought so valiantly.  For him to be beaten by it, I now realize that it is an unstoppable force.  Money can't beat it, Steve Jobs passing proved that.  Peter's passing proved that even the toughest and bravest man I have had the honor of knowing couldn't stop it.  Basically if you beat pancreatic cancer, you were lucky enough to catch it early, or you are a miracle.  I am deeply saddened by the loss of my friend, but I know Peter would want me to take something good from it.  It has reinforced my resolve that I must not stop until this disease is gone.  I will be finding a way to honor Peter in my own way, and I will smash the disease that took Karen and Peter from us before their times. I swear I will with all of my heart.




We Will Miss You Peter,


Your Friend - Eric Costantino