It is enormously sad news that our friend Kano, Martin Kane, succumbed to his illness this morning. Kano was an ever-present on CQN for four years, on occasion writing our match reports, until illness struck in 2008. He was left completely paralysed, eventually only able to communicate through a machine, requiring round the clock care.
He was isolated in hospital in his home city of Perth, Western Australia, lonely for him and difficult for his wife Carolyn and their family, with no realistic chance of recovery. On hearing this news, CQN reacted in an incredible way. Our also now-departed friend, Pablophanque, wrote, “We need to get this guy home”, and a campaign started to raise the tens of thousands of pounds required to transform part of his home into an appropriate care facility.
As the campaign got underway I remember being concerned, it was going to take at least £60k and I thought we had no chance of getting close to this. Pablo (memorably) didn’t want to head the campaign he started but others soon stepped in and the Bring Martin Home got underway in earnest. Those behind it moved heaven and earth, and within a few months, the money was in place and Kano was back living at home with his family.
The Kano Foundation, a remarkable self-funded organisation which takes kids groups and charities to Celtic games, was established by those running the Bring Martin Home campaign, to harness the expertise and goodwill for on-going good, in Martin’s name.
When I first met Kano’s dad, Matt, who himself is no longer with us, six years ago, I was caught off-guard when he talked about Kano’s life expectancy. Unable to move he was enormously vulnerable to any prosaic infection. He suffered a few health scares but fought through them for far longer than many anticipated.
We got him back on the blog briefly, sharing some of his gratitude for the work done and his humour, but he explained the hours it took to compose his few sentences. He continued to watch Celtic, of course.
This morning our thoughts go to Carolyn and the kids, as well as to his good pal Ramie and those who cared for Martin. Those who decided to get off their arses and change the world for one family back in 2008 should be very proud of what they did, and the years at home they gave Kano.
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RIP Martin
Rip kano – so sad
God bless Martin.
A sad sad day for the Celtic family.
acgr
Fine words Paul67
RIP Martin
May God Bless and keep you Martin and may God Bless your family.
Rest in Peace my brother in Celtic. You will always be remembered. YNWA
Very sad news. RIP Kano
Rest in Peace Kano.
RIP Martin
RIP Kano
Condolences to Carolyn, Sean, Alanna and all the family and friends of Martin. My thoughts and prayers are with you all today and will be over the coming days, weeks and months.
We lost you to the blog 5 years ago when you first fell ill and I’m sure although difficult for you all the interim time at has been you will have appreciated being able to spend that time at home to take pride in watching your family grow up.
Your”s is a sad loss to the CQN and the Celtic family and it is little conciliation at this time but your legacy will live for years to come in the Kano Foundation. Your illness brought out the good in so many and that goodwill and kindness of heart has continued grow and stretch to help so many more since.
May that continue and grow in your name.
God rest your soul buddy.
RIP Kano. Sleep well.
Hail! Hail!
MWD said AYE
PAUL67
I joined the blog a few weeks after Martin’s plight became known,just as the Bring Martin Home campaign swung into action.
My first taste of the many benefits of this site,and the people on it.
What struck me most about Martin’s illness wasn’t just how sudden,drastic,it was. It was how random it was. No warning,no medical history.
No reason.
An unfair world,indeed. That he is now in a better one will hopefully help his family and friends through these difficult next few weeks and months.
I suspect the blog will be a quiet place for a bit,bar some fondly told tales of Martin at his best.
I’m told he was rather forthright in his opinions,with the wit and wisdom to back them up.
Rest In Peace Kano.
Very sad to hear of the passing of Martin Kane.
Sincerest condolonces to Carolyn and the family at this sad time.
RIP Kano.
YNWA
Very sad news.
Had a right few run ins with Kano many years ago, but never doubted the spirit of Celtic coursed through his veins like a mighty river.
God bless and RIP.
RIP Kano
RIP. Kano
Sad sad news about Martin.
You have gone to a better place.
Thoughts with family and friends.
HH
YNWA
Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord.
Thoughts and prayers are with Martin’s friends and family.
Thoughts with Ramie, who I’m sure is looking after the family having lost his best pal.
I had great respect for the amazing manner in which Martin dealt with his terrible condition. Great respect, too, for Carolyn and Martin`s great mate , Ramie. Martin`s suffering is now over. Cycling with so many other CQNers to Belfast to help bring Martin home remains one of the most rewarding experiences in my life . Carolyn can be proud of her part in giving Martin the strength to carry on so bravely. We can only hope that our thoughts now can help her and her family through these darkest of moments. We are all with you, Carolyn.
JJ
Rip martin. Thoughts with your family.
Heat breaking news.
Thoughts are with his family at this time.
His legacy will live on through the joy brought to others, through the foundation and in his name.
Sad news, talked to him a few times on here back in the day,a horrible thing to happen.
Thoughts with friends and family at this time.
Rest in peace mate.
Devastating news today with Kano’s passing. I remember back to the early days of CQN and the many conversations and debates about everything Celtic that we had. His love of our club as well as his family was his world down under, and the day we found out the shocking news of his serious illness was a real blow to all the CQN community at that time.
But instead of simply accepting his condition and inability to no longer be part of our community, we did the opposite and tried to help in some way to not only help make life a litlle bit easier for Martin and his family, but to also try and keep him part of our community by trying to encourage him to engage with us all. The genorosity of our full support and the very good work of all the volunteers, allowed for all this to happen and the Kano foundation was born.
From the Bucket collections to the road and cycle runs as well as other charity events, through to the wonderful work done by the foundation, we have all played a part in Kano’s life. I am sure that Martin Kane was and still is a very proud man to be a Celtic supporter and to be part of our great club.
RIP Kano, Thoughts and prayers are with you and all your family and friends.
RIP Kano,
may God be with his family and friends at this most sad of times
seeing that banner headline made me so immediately sad.
a moment to think and our Martin Kane will go on forever.
God Bless Kano.
Martin Kane, may perpetual light shine upon you
Rest in Peace
You will never walk alone
Joined here just when the “Bring him Home” campaign was in full swing. Never knew him as a poster but it still feels like someone in the family has died. In joy and sorrow we are a family, I’m on a long holiday from here but had to come back today, to give a cyber hug to everybody. Rest in Peace Legend, May Heaven be your bed.
Rest in Peace Martin Kane.
I wish your family and friends the strength to get through the days ahead.
I hope they can take some comfort in the wonderful legacy of the Kano Foundation.
That is something to be proud of.
I guess my own contribution to the above is that although I wasn’t involved in the fundraising aspect of The Kano Foundation, or any of the other spin off activities, I still feel, despite his illness, that Kano was a “live” part of this blog.
The esteem and high regard he was held in by others on the blog is testament to his character, and clearly he was a very brave individual with an incredible array of friends and family around him, and every one of these people should immensely proud.
I will admit I am not the best with words, but what I am perhaps trying to say is that Martin was obviously an outstanding individual and incredibly well regarded by many on here who did not know him, nor would ever expect to meet him.
RIP KANO.
Sannabhoy
My thoughts are also with you today JP, and with everyone else involved in the Kano Foundation.
Paul
CQN often shows itself to be a wonderful manifestation of what ‘the Celtic Family’ is all about. The greater the challenge, the greater the effort. The sharper the loss, the deeper the well of love and support.
HH jamesgang
Well said Paul67.
HH Kano.
Very sad news. RIP.
RIP Kano
Lovely words Paul67.
RIP Kano
Sad news about Martin. Thoughts with his family. YNWA.
An impassioned contributor who spoke from the heart it was always a contribution to look out for and appreciate whether you agreed or not. I hope the Kane family can gain some comfort from knowing that Martin’s plight has gifted a tremendous legacy. Not only The Kano Foundation, but the start of a transformation of CQN from a limited football blog of relatively unconnected individuals to an active movement, with charitable and selfless actions forming an important and central part of the core culture and purpose going forward. Many more have benefited and more will continue to benefit; a legacy to be proud of.
Deep sadness but also great respect.
HH