Page 31 - Inspire Magazine
P. 31
Reflecting on trips with his Courageous and unsentimental to
partner Rachel, he wrote: the very end, Dave Stringer was
a very special human being. His
“This year’s flying has been honesty, decency and
amazing. First class (thank you unflinching courage continue to
Avios) to Boston and back, a inspire all who read his words.
beautiful experience. Feeling
looked after in the BA Boston “There’s no doubt
lounge, a particularly nice feeling. in my head that
The £130 a bottle champagne,
also very welcome…Grand Siecle doing what
something or other. I’ve done...
has been the
Business class on Iberia to thinner), finding light relief in
Santiago with exceptionally unlikely moments such as their right course
attentive service. Regular rioja visit to Oxford: of action…
top-ups. Strange Spanish-style
food. And perhaps the most “Next up, I got it right”.
comfortable I’ve ever felt on a Walsall at home on
plane. Santiago to Easter Island As Chris says, “We’ve all been
was also done in business class on Wednesday. overwhelmed with messages
LATAM. Then back to South West Does it get any about his blog and it seems to
USA. Outwards with British bigger than this?” have touched and helped so many
Airways. Rachel inadvertently people”.
queue-jumping to be told she’d
been upgraded to first class. “The game ended goalless. The Last word to Dave himself:
Brilliant moment.” quality wasn’t great but somehow “Looking up at the night sky
I found it highly entertaining. Partly triggered more memories of my
due to the Oxford fan in the
Dave’s mobility was restricted as travels. The Atacama Desert in
his cancer spread into his back, section next to us getting Chile’s north where I’d witnessed
making it difficult to walk. He was unbelievably angry. When an the planet’s clearest night sky
also afflicted by Bell’s palsy; the Oldham player escaped a red with Chris. A night on a ranch in
right side of his face drooped, his card for a wild high challenge, this Utah where I got a real kick from
eye wouldn’t close, and “keeping bloke’s head nearly joined the Rachel’s excitement at seeing the
liquids from slipping out of my International Space Station in Milky Way in all its glory.
mouth is an art I’ve developed to orbit above the planet. He wasn’t
avoid looking like a dribbling fool”. happy at all! Next up, Walsall at
Yet he kept on travelling, writing, home on Wednesday. Does it get
and living life to the full. any bigger than this?”
Ultimately, Oldham couldn’t avoid
A keen football fan, he devoted
much of his time and energy to relegation, finishing just a point
planning trips to watch Oldham behind local rivals Rochdale - and
Athletic home and away, invariably one place from safety.
accompanied by son Chris. There’s no doubt in my head that
Throughout 2018, as his condition doing what I’ve done, going where
Oldham’s fortunes were also at progressed, Dave’s blog focused I’ve gone and spending the money
a low ebb, as they struggled for increasingly on the day to day to do it has been the right course
form throughout the season. realities of treatments and hospital of action… I got it right”.
Undaunted, Dave and Chris visits – and financial planning for
followed them through thick and his family. That you did, Dave. INSPIRE 2018
thin (often more like thin and Thank you for everything.
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