Other Great Reality Shows > American Idol

David Cook's Brother Dies

<< < (3/5) > >>

RealityFreakWill:
David Cook Wore Brave Face to Race, Organizer Says

Sunday morning, American Idol winner David Cook was still reeling from the death of his older brother Adam, but he didn't let his personal tragedy stop him from serving as grand marshal of Washington, D.C.'s 12 annual Race for Hope 5K.

"David is beyond the most courageous young person I have ever known," says Jeff Kolodin, co-chair of the race, which benefited the National Brain Tumor Society and Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure.

Cook, 26, stood before the 9,000 participants on the rainy Sunday, first joking that he was there to get a tan, then rallying them around the cause before revealing the news of Adam Cook's death.

"I actually lost my brother yesterday to a brain tumor," he told the crowd, choking up over his words, "and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else right now." Adam Cook, 37, a lawyer in Terre Haute, Ind., who was married with kids, had been battling cancer for more than a decade.

In the day's leading up to Adam's death, Kolodin had worked closely with Cook on the race. Cook's team was the top fund-raiser, bringing in more than $98,000, while the race in total raised about $2 million.

"What he did this morning when he was dealing with the most raw emotion was incredible," says Kolodin. "He talked to 9,000 people in a pouring rainstorm today. No one knew his brother had died, but he publicly said to everyone at the race, 'I do have some bad news.' The crowd went pretty much silent and people were crying."

After the grim announcement, Cook put on a brave face, says Kolodin. "He spent his entire day hugging survivors, signing autographs for them, taking pictures. He did this for hundreds of people in a very chaotic setting. "He shared his very private moment with thousands," Kolodin continues. "He was willing to put his personal, raw emotion out there, knowing he was being filmed. He's a heck of a person."

For more information about the charity, log on to www.curebraintumors.org.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20276340,00.html

RealityFreakWill:
Simon Cowell Calls Adam Cook an 'Incredible Guy'

In the American Idol world, the death of current champ David Cook's brother Adam was felt immediately.

Paula Abdul expressed her sympathy in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE: "Adam Cook was a part of our extended American Idol family who supported his brother wholeheartedly, even through his own fight. My heart goes out not only to David, but his family as well."

Adam Cook, 37, had battled cancer for more than a decade, including throughout Cook's bid for the American Idol crown last year. The Terre Haute, Ind., lawyer had even flown out to L.A. amid chemotherapy treatment to see his brother, 26, take the Idol stage.

It was a commitment that didn't go unnoticed by the judges. Simon Cowell, too, offered his condolences. "I was incredibly saddened to hear the news," he said in a statement to PEOPLE. "I met Adam Cook a few times at American Idol. He was an incredible guy, and right now my thoughts are with David and his family."

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20276347,00.html

RealityFreakWill:
David Cook on His Brother: 'His Advice Was Always Stay The Course'

click on link below to view video

"American Idol" winner David Cook is speaking out about his brother Adam, who passed away on Saturday after a long battle with brain cancer.

"There's other people still fighting," Cook says. "My brother and I had an amazing relationship. His advice was always stay the course. There was no other place I would rather be than here."

Despite his loss, Cook ran in the Race for Hope 5k fund-raising event which is held as a way to fight brain tumors, Sunday in Washington D.C.

http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/05/73500/

TexasLady:
This is so sad. My heart goes out to the Cook family.  :'(

RealityFreakWill:
David posted this blog on his myspace (it brought me to tears again and it was an inspirational blog)

ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY AND MYSELF

I wanted to write everyone and say a few things, in light of recent events, to dispel any misinformation that may be circulating and to say thank you on behalf of my family and myself to everyone who has shown even the slightest bit of support to us and our efforts as a family to help eradicate this terrible affliction.
 
My brother, Adam, passed away at 11:52pm Eastern, May 2nd.  He was 37 years old and leaves behind his wife and two children.  We had played Sunfest in West Palm Beach that night, walking off stage at approximately 11:00pm Eastern, and I rushed to get on a plane to fly to Washington D.C., to be a part of the Race For Hope-D.C., a fundraiser for research and development of a cure for brain cancer.  I learned of Adam’s passing upon getting to my hotel around 3:00am Eastern.  I decided to run in the race, despite all of this, for two reasons.  First, my brother never wanted his illness to affect others.  That was evident in the fact that he wanted his illness to have no part in my experience on Idol, a point he was quite adamant about.  So, with that wish in mind, I ran and was involved with the event as an homage to him.  Secondly, there are many people who are still battling, and by running and sharing my brother’s story, I hope that it offers those still fighting that much more resolve to not succumb to this wretched disease.
 
I want to again thank everyone who donated to the race and continues to donate, sent a kind email, posted thoughts and prayers, called, etc.  I take it as affirmation that my brother was the great man that I knew, and whose ideals I constantly try to uphold in myself.  It is with those ideals in tow that I vow to continue to speak out in hopes of raising whatever necessary to help eliminate cancer entirely.
 
Also, I mentioned earlier that Adam never wanted his illness to affect anyone.  So, with the exception of our Toledo, OH, show on May 6th, which we will do everything possible to reschedule, all other shows will go on as scheduled.
 
Lastly, thank you to everyone for allowing us, as a family, to grieve and come to terms privately. This event has shown me, beyond doubt, that I have the greatest people in my life, family, friends, and fans alike, and for that, I can never offer enough thanks. 

~D

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=382394266&blogID=487183617

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page