a champion hangs up his gloves

tonight in minnesota rabi finished the final round of his fight, and hung up his boxing gloves for the last time like the true champion he was.

tonight is one of those nights where i feel like my heart has broke into a million pieces and i can hear them clinking around in my feet with every step i take. i think that i will hear those pieces for many days to come.

i feel so lucky that i got to be part of his family, and to see him every summer when we were back in minnesota. he was always so kind, and his smile and laughter would light up any room he was in. you could tell how much he loved his family just by the way that he looked at them, especially in the moments when he would watch them from a distance with a huge smile on his face. i will never forget the moment i shared with him last summer. it will forever be my most favorite memory with him, and i am so thankful that i get that one all to myself. i will forever cherish it.

as was already the plan, i will carry rabi with me every step i take while i am running until that 10k in september which i will run in his honor. i look at my shoe every run i go on and i can't help but smile when i see his name, i feel like i can hear him cheering me on.

he was a fighter and a champion and a good man, one of the very best.

he will forever be remembered.

he will forever be missed.

the world lost a great man today, but he will live on in the hearts of all of those that were lucky enough to know and love him.

i am so very thankful that i was one of the lucky ones.

please send your love, mojo and prayers to minnesota to rabi's family and to all that are missing him.

+++ i also want to give an update on beth's surgery today. surgery went well and they did not encounter any surprises (so thankful for that) and it was a little less invasive then they thought it was going to need to be (so thankful for that). she is in her own room now and is not in any pain thanks to the meds (so thankful for that). please keep sending her your prayers, love and mojo as she starts to recover from the surgery. you've got this beth, there is no doubt about it. you are a fighter, keep picking up your gloves my friend.