Man who underwent multiple brain surgeries, battled cancer participates in 10th straight Pat's Run
PHOENIX - One Scottsdale man has had a tough year after fighting through multiple brain surgeries and waking up from his last procedure without the ability to walk.
With all that in mind, running in this year's Pat's Run seemed unimaginable.
But if you thought Joe DeMeulenaere would have given up -- well, you don't know Joe.
"It’s one of my favorite days of the year," DeMeulenaere said.
The 17th annual Pat’s Run, created in honor of the legendary Pat Tillman, happened virtually this weekend because of the pandemic just like last year. The event normally happens in Tempe.
This is Joe's tenth straight year participating - and this one was the hardest.
"In the last year I’ve had six surgeries," DeMeulenaere said. "Two major brain surgeries, two eye surgeries and then two reconstructive surgeries, the last one being less than two months ago."
He was diagnosed with cancer in his eye years ago, but it spread to his optic nerve and brain.
After his latest surgery in February, most would say racing in this Pat’s Run was impossible.
"I couldn’t walk. It hurt to walk," DeMeulenaere said. "To be able to do it and be able to finish the race just after everything I’ve been through."
His passion and perseverence is likely something he stole from Pat himself.
"So inspiring, so motivating," he said. "I could have phoned it in and slept in yesterday, but that’s not what Pat Tillman would have done. That’s not what I am about."
Thousands of others could have slept in too, yet they all ran their own 4.2 mile races. Few steps, though, were tougher than Joe’s.
"I would have walked or crawled it if I had to," he said.
Joe also received some good news after his last surgery - doctors told him his cancer is now in remission.
More on Pat's Run 2021: https://pattillmanfoundation.org/pats-run/
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