RIP – Pete Frates (Just Kidding He's Still Fighting. Mike Barnacle Reported False Information)

UPDATE – So I woke up this morning to texts and tweets that Pete Frates had passed away. He is in the hospital per his mother’s report from last night, but he is still fighting. Turns out Mike Barnacle tried to beat the family and “break” the news on twitter and was just flat wrong. Way to go Mike. Anyway the second I heard the false report I wrote the following. And guess what the more I thought about it the more I figured I might as well publish it anyway. Everything I said remains true today or 100 years from today. And frankly I’d love to read my own eulogy so hopefully Pete reads this one. It’s stupid to wait till somebody dies to tell them how great they are anyway. So thanks Mike Barnacle for being a dickhead and causing me to write something that I’m glad I can publish while Pete is still with us.

Sad news this morning. Pete Frates passed away. Real simple Pete is one of the best dudes I met doing Barstool Sports. There are very few people I’ve met who I can say with 100% conviction that I’m better for knowing him, but Pete was one of them. A North Shore guy who became the face of the Ice Bucket challenge and the fight against ALS. He did things after getting diagnosed that nobody would have dreamed he could do. He and his family raised more awareness and money for ALS than anybody would have dreamed possible. But he was way more than that for me. The thing that always struck me with Pete is that he was a constant reminder to live life to the fullest. To not take anything for granted. Because this disease can strike anybody at anytime. Pete could have been me or you or any Stoolie. His group of friends is exactly like my group of friends. They played sports growing up. He was a star athlete. They busted each other’s balls. Just normal dudes being normal dudes. Yet Pete was the one who had to fight this disease and that’s exactly what he and his family did. He never felt bad for himself. He and his family attacked life and battled this disease in a way that almost seemed like he was specifically chosen to carry this burden. He lived a truly remarkable life and while the news is obvious sad his legacy will live on. It’s cliché to say we should celebrate a passing but if anybody’s life should be celebrated it’s Pete Frates. I could live for 500 years and not make the impact Pete Frates did. RIP buddy.