Mesa family participating in Pat’s Run to honor man who died from cancer
MESA, AZ (AZFamily) —This year’s Pat’s Run will be especially emotional for a Mesa family. They will be running for a son, a brother and a friend.
Joe Demeulenaere planned on participating in Pat’s Run, just as he has for the past 13 years. He would put on a football helmet and run the 4.2-mile fundraiser. It was a tradition rooted in his love of sports and his admiration of Pat Tilman.
“I think he was just so inspired by Pat Tillman and everything that he went through and how he was so brave in the situations that he faced,” said Dani Brandenburg, Joe’s sister. “And I think he used that as motivation for when he was fighting.”
Joe fought cancer for more than a decade. His battle began in 2014 when a tumor was found behind his eye.
Doctors were able to shrink the tumor with radiation. But five years later, it was growing again. This time, cancer took Joe’s eye, but it never took his spirit.
Joe’s dad, George Demeulenaere, said his son was so brave. He fought back tears, explaining, “Joe just protected us by fighting so hard and just really having a positive attitude, as cancer was killing him.”
Despite going through radiation, his surgeries and dealing with the disease, Joe kept working. He was a beloved bartender at Cafe Monarch for more than a decade.
He also kept participating in Pat’s Run. But the cancer spread, and sadly, Joe passed away in December, right before his 40th birthday.
So, instead, his family and friends will be running for Joe this year. About 50 friends will gather in Tempe or do the run virtually.
“It’s really amazing just the support. We’ve got people all the way from New York to California who are coming in to do the race,” said Dani. They will run to honor a man who loved and lived bravely, like Pat Tillman.
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