Dan Miller, Bob Wojnowski and Jamie Samuelsen. ( Photo: Twitter).
Purchase PhotoJamie Samuelsen worked for WDFN 1130-AM The Fan from 1994 through 2007. ( Photo: The Detroit News).
Who gets colon cancer when theyre completely healthy, a runner, a modest eater, a non-smoker? Cancer is awful and sneaky in all its kinds, to all the people it affects. Cancer doesnt follow a script and thats what actually draws, since Jamie and his household did whatever right to try to beat it.
Jamie is far from alone with this last question, unfortunately, however it has to be asked: How do you invest the last four months of your life damaged by cancer and sequestered by COVID at the very same time? How does somebody who is all goodness and generosity get restricted to his house, doing his show from the basement?
And possibly that was the method the script was expected to end, Jamie surrounded by family and sports and good friends. When going through horrific times, individuals often reveal a piece of themselves you never ever knew they had. And sometimes they expose exactly who theyve constantly been.
He was a wondrous soul. Im so sorry for everybody who loved him, knew him, or wanted they knew him. Im so unfortunate the world does not have more pillars and more compassion. This rotten illness took Jamies energy and voice, but it never ever got his self-respect or his heart. I take solace in understanding now that the pain and awfulness are gone, there is only goodness left.
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Twitter: bobwojnowski.
The randomness of cancer is what makes it so terrible. Using a mask or cleaning your hands does not ward off cancer.
Jamie fulfilled Christy McDonald in 1995 at Channel 2 prior to the last taping of the Bill Bonds show. Kowalski was on another line confirming he might do the program, but I waved it off and informed Christy she ought to ask this new kid, Jamie. When Jamie and I showed up at Channel 2, Christy greeted us, and thats how their story started.
The last night I saw Jamie was Tuesday, laying in his bed, surrounded by a couple of friends. He kept slurping water to get his voice working. He informed everybody he enjoyed them and we said the exact same and we all sobbed.
As I was leaving his home, I ducked down the corridor one more time to say bye-bye. Jamie looked up, smiled and gave me a wave, and it was ruthless and beautiful, mostly lovely.
Jamie didnt require to be the star, didnt need to have the loudest voice or the most-bombastic character. He was brilliant in so numerous methods. As a recruiter, he knew when to get light, when to get serious, when to action in or step aside.
I am genuinely in wonder of the grace and self-respect he showed. Because he didnt want to make it public and distract from the show, only a few people knew about his illness. When he finally exposed it on his last radio appearance one week earlier, his voice was unstable and the gravity appeared, and yet he refused to state it was over.
In among my last phone conversations with Jamie, he had a hard time to get the words out, and then said something that stopped me cold. He stated he was afraid he d die without making an effect in his 25 years here, and I about jumped through the phone to thump his head. I told him he felt that method due to the fact that he quietly left the program for a while and was isolated and tired out. He wasnt feeling the effect since he kept his illness peaceful, and out of respect, we did too.
Jamie was so clever, and had the ideal laugh to go with his deadly deadpan humor. Heres an unclean little secret: Jamie would assist me every single week to come up with jokes for my college football selects column.
However you need to know how strong and brave Jamie was. He battled like hell and never ever caught one damn break. The cancer wouldnt let go and he had every factor to be baffled and mad, but I never ever heard him grumble.
Who gets colon cancer at 47, and after that passes away at 48? The advised age for getting a colonoscopy is 50 and older, and Jamie invested a lot of his last breaths advising people to schedule the procedure previously.
But my God, did he see the impact in the days that followed, in the profusion of love and assistance from listeners, strangers and good friends. He definitely felt the effect in the number of people the previous few days who said theyre going to set up a colonoscopy since Jamie suggested they should. An important message spent for with his life.
Many individuals move in and out of our lives, acquaintances, good friends, excellent pals, finest friends. That was Jamie for a lot of us, for his family, for me in methods Im attempting to express and probably stopping working.
Grace and mankind.
Jamie taught me about discipline and selflessness. He craved punctuality, and he d flash that uncommon frustration if someone (me) was late. When we played darts, I d fling for the bulls- eye and hope to collect collateral points.
It took so long for Jamie to give in, and after that it took place so fast. He was playing 3 hours of tennis on July 4 and still doing dad things with his amazing kids– Caroline,16, Josh, 14, Catherine, 11. Christy scheduled the appointments and managed the disappointing call from medical professionals so Jamie could follow his well-crafted script.
He was so worn out near the end, it harmed him to laugh. He needed to battle for the energy simply to eliminate the cancer, which was particularly unfair. And yet till the final 2 weeks, he did his radio show, told stories with his pals, played with his kids and made everyone around him feel okay.
Jamie Samuelsen always adhered to the script, the most patient, compassionate, generous individual Ive ever understood. He didnt wander off from his principles, not even when the cancer took control of. He never ever lost his hair or his spirit or his humor. You d never ever understand he spent 19 months combating for his life, crisscrossing the nation with his wonderful other half, Christy, looking for treatments. Since he was scared they d treat him differently, he didnt desire individuals to understand.
Jamie Samuelsen always stuck to the script, the most patient, compassionate, generous person Ive ever understood. Jamie and Stoney were amusing and classy and successful, and you can tell what Jamie indicated to the audience by the response to his death. All the kind words for Jamie validate what most of us already knew, that he linked with individuals, even from afar.
Jamie met Christy McDonald in 1995 at Channel 2 before the final taping of the Bill Bonds show. Kowalski was on another line confirming he could do the program, but I waved it off and informed Christy she need to ask this new kid, Jamie.
More: Greg Brady: Radio programs arent indicated to last, however I mightve dealt with Jamie Samuelsen forever.
When Jamie concerned Detroit in 1994 after graduating from Northwestern, he was fresh-faced and earnest, with a huge head of hair that never thinned and never ever grayed. I dealt with him at 97.1 the Ticket, and at WDFN before that, for 25 years. Hes been a staple on the Fox 2 Lions pregame shows and on Sunday night roundtables with Dan Miller, me and others. He was my on-air partner for 4 years, and after that made the leap back to mornings with another former radio partner, Mike Stone.
Traditional pairing.
Jamie and Stoney were amusing and elegant and successful, and you can inform what Jamie implied to the audience by the action to his death. All the kind words for Jamie verify what most of us currently knew, that he linked with individuals, even from afar.
More: Smart, sincere, however never had to be the star: 97.1s Jamie Samuelsen dies of cancer at age 48.
A listener posted on Twitter the perfect description: “Jamie revealed you could be both wise and sarcastic, without being condescending.”.
