A Very Sad Day--- Please Read

[cal***boat]

As I sit here typing with tears in my eyes it's hard to put into words just what it is like to loose a life long friend.
Last friday morning i got a phone call from my friends wife telling me that her husband Eric had passed away. Eric was fighting Colon Cancer and he lost his life within a short period of only 9 months. He was 56 years old
Not very many people here on the boards ever met Eric but if you did meet him you would remember him for the rest of your life.
Eric Grundstrom was involved with the APBA Super Stock & GN boats many years ago and had just gotten back in the drivers seat a few years ago in the APBA Region 11 Sport C class boats. Eric was the 2002 APBA National & Region 11 High Points Champion.
The Funeral services were conducted today In Petaluma, Calif. for Eric and it was very heartbreaking for me and all of his close friends that were there but Eric is in a better place now and my prayers are with him and his family.
In closing this post I pray to God that none of my new friends that I have meet here on the boards will ever have to go thruogh what Eric did with his battle against cancer.
Please go to your doctors on a regular basis because just maybe if Eric did they could have found his Cancer early enough and he would still be with us.
GOD BLESS

[DUNDUN]

I'm very sorry to hear that CHB. My thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family. :(

[SANGER-RICH]

Cal***boat
My family sends our blessings to Eric's family. I did not know him but just 4 months ago I went in for a colan check and they found a rather large pollup in me that he said was about to do the big nasty. If it had I would not be here for next christmas. We feel your grief, sorry for the spelling errors, but everyone at fifty should be checked, Heck I did not feel a thing, and when it goes bad your done.

[cal***boat]

Yea Rich right after they told Eric he had Colon Cancer I went in and got checked out also and came back with a clean bill of health.
Eric's ordeal with Cancer sure opened up my eyes.
I still can't beleive that he is gone.

[superdave013]

Cal,
man I'm sorry to hear that. I do know just how you feel as I went through the very same thing. My best friend died on this very day last year from lung cancer.
Cancer is a tuff way to go.

[Her454]

Dave, Im truly sorry for your loss. I can't imagine losing a lifelong friend. Cancer is one of lifes cruelest evils that favors no one . Its good friends, understanding, and lots of love that help people through it.
God Bless you and yours,
Traci

[BLOWNDEAVER]

calhot and dave , you will be in our prayers

[BILLY.B]

Dave sorry to hear about Eric. I remember his name back in the day but we never met. By prayers go out to his family and friends.:(

[cal***boat]

Everyone THANK YOU so very much for your kind words, Eric will be missed by many. But please everyone keep on top of your health and take care of your body. YOU only have the one God gave you.
I myself have had Diabetes for 32 years now and my health is slowly going down hill from the complecations of having Diabetes for so many years.
Many of my friends thought I would never make it this far along in life because of my lifestyle (Lots of drinking) but I proved them wrong by changing my lifestyle and taking better care of myself.
The main reason for this post was to tell everyone to PLEASE take care of yourself and enjoy a long healthy live

[DUNDUN]

Definitely CHB, I'm only a kid, but it's never too early to watch your health. My thoughts and prayers are with you through this difficult time.

[cal***boat]

http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/516/246eric.gif
This was Eric in his little Sport C race boat taking the win @ Marysville, Calif.

[058]

C.H.B. My most sincere condolences to you and the family of your friend. Cancer doesn't have to be a death sentence, it is something that needs to be dealt with. We all should get a medical check-up as soon as possible.....It could save your life.

[Blown 472]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

[76biesmeyer]

CHB You are right it is very hard when you loss someone that you were very close to.My prayers go out to the family and freinds.We also losts my mother to bone cancer in november and then found out that my little girl has cancer She is only seventeen.Cancer is very unforgiving and don,t ever think that it will never happen to one of your loved ones or yourself.Take care my freind and God Bless

[MoJetBoPar]

My sincere concolences in regards to your loss.
I'm soon to be 43, been 2 years since a check-up, gotta make that phone call and get in there soon.

[126driver]

My condolences to friends and family.
Several years ago one of my crew members had non-Hodgekin's lymphoma. (sp?) I remember him finding a lump in his armpit in the hotel room in Parker. It was a long road, but he beat it and is still cancer-free today. He still chews Skoal though, I'd like to smack him everytime I see him do that. :mad:

[FasterPussyCat]

Originally posted by cal***boat
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/516/246eric.gif
This was Eric in his little Sport C race boat taking the win @ Marysville, Calif.
Originally posted by cal***boat
Everyone THANK YOU so very much for your kind words, Eric will be missed by many. But please everyone keep on top of your health and take care of your body. YOU only have the one God gave you.
I myself have had Diabetes for 32 years now and my health is slowly going down hill from the complecations of having Diabetes for so many years.
Many of my friends thought I would never make it this far along in life because of my lifestyle (Lots of drinking) but I proved them wrong by changing my lifestyle and taking better care of myself.
The main reason for this post was to tell everyone to PLEASE take care of yourself and enjoy a long healthy live
very sorry to hear about your friend cal***boat
cancer is a real bad thing and it can take any of us at any time
colon cancer has a 90% cure rate if it is caught early so it is important for people to get a check up
i just had my colonoscopy done last year which was no big deal to have done and they did find a few small pulips which turned out to be non cancerous
i was very lucky to have them found early
i will say here the same thing cal***boat is saying
get a check up and stay on top of your health
we only have one life to live and lets live it to its fullest
cal***boats post should be pinned at the top for all of us to read over and over again to remind us about getting check ups and keeping healthy
god bless all who have read and posted on this subject

[cal***boat]

FPC, Your one of the lucky ones to have had your check up done early and they got those pulips out of there before it was to late.

[Jetboatguru]

Dave
Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. Hope the people in the ***boat community can help you this time.
Tony

[cal***boat]

Originally posted by Jetboatguru
Dave
Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. Hope the people in the ***boat community can help you this time.
Tony
Thanks Tony,
The only thing that I'am asking the ***boat community to do is to get regular check ups from thier doctors and to stay healthy.
This Cancer stuff really sucks the big one and if Eric would have gotten in early he just may still be with us today.
With Eric passing away from Colon cancer it has hit me really hard when you lose a friend that you have known for most of your life.
I'am an emotional wreck at this time and it will take some time to get over it.
I just can't believe he's gone in such a short period of time.

[Rexone]

I'm going to pin this for a bit for Cal***boat. He's right the health message here is very important and could save your or a loved ones life.

[promod]

sorry for the loss everyone is in our prayers like always he's in a better place to watch boat racing at its finest
sincerely
grant dupree
baj 817:( :cry:

[cal***boat]

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Originally posted by MRS FLYIN VEE
I'm sorry the post under mr vee was me. but I wanted to know if there is going to be anything set up for the kids or any of his family can we get an address so we can contribute what they will need. Like to help out with finances or even help out for holidays. anything really. thanks.
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Eric's family is taking things as well as excepted with thier loss of Eric.
Any donations that any board members would like to make should be sent to the American Cancer Society on behalf of Eric Grundstrom and his family.
Below is a link to the A.C.S. donation web page.
Only time will heal the loss of one of the best friends I ever had the pleasure of knowing.
His memory will live on it my heart forever and all the good times we had.
Once again Thank You for all your replys.
God Bless
Dave
American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/asp/donate/don_multi_donate.asp?navToScreen=don_1)

[CircleJerk]

Very...... sorry...... as only a jErK can be! I cant afford to lose anymore of my friends.........they are growing smaller in #s! I drove for a very special friend who was blind due to your medical condition. As an unsighted person, he built blown bbcs and lived life to the fullest despite his handicap. I miss him very much to this day and keep him alive in my thinking cap by continuing to race big block chevies in honor of 'Rat Now', Richard Hand! Good health to you Cal***boat!:)

[FlatRat]

Cal***boat,
sorry for your loss of an ol' friend.Keep his spirit alive with the good times you've had.Prayers to you from us in Montana.

[burbanite]

My Dad is a colon cancer survivor, I know only too well the real value of regular check ups. Friends help us in passing as well as in life, sometimes they cause us to wake up a little and make a choice to take better care of ourselves.

[DansBlown73Nordic]

My sincere concolences in regards to your loss.
I had a very close friend who got Pancreatic Cancer (sp)? He found he had it way to late. They did surgery and just closed him up. He lasted about three months. :frown: He was 56 with a 9 year old daughter.
One of the best times I ever had with him was taking him for a ride in my 66 Stevens. He had owned a boat all his life, but had never been in anything faster than 35 40. He had a GPS and I wanted to see how fast it was. I took it easy at first. I wasn't real sure what he was going to think of it. He looks at me and says come on open it up....:D
I didn't really know him a long time but we were very good friends. A true friend is someone you can call and say will you give me a hand tomorrow......and they don't say aaaahhhh im busy.....:wink:
Sorry for the long ramble......:frown:

[Mrs Big Boy Toys]

Dave, I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. May God help his family and friends through this sad time. God bless you for caring so much about "us"your friends.

[cal***boat]

Thanks Marina
How is everyting going for you guys ?
How is Jims back ?

[Da-Bull]

Cal***boat,
I am sorry to hear about your dear friend. I know first hand what you and his family are going through, it's like a part of your heart has been ripped out. I lost my best friend and Mother to Colon Cancer. So cherish his memory and remember the good times because he still lives within your heart. I send you and his family condolences and will keep you in our prayers.
May God bless you and your family in your time of sadness.