It’s two and a half years since Oscar’s dad, Stephen ‘Knoxy’ shared the news he’d just received that his three-year-old son had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, an apparently rare form of childhood cancer. All the pains and fears of that day, and the years since, came to the fore over the last eight weeks as the disease took hold. Oscar’s battle ended yesterday.
On this day we should acknowledge the enormous work by so many people to get Oscar the treatment he needed, many of whom would never meet him. The treatment cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, a daunting figure, but one which was soon met. Without this fundraising, Oscar would have died in 2012. Instead, he lived, played and inspired many with his enthusiasm until recent weeks. His fantastic “Happy Birthday CQN” video message was recorded just two months ago; a gift to this community.
For now, there are no meaningful words for Stephen, Oscar’s mum Leona, sister Izzie and their family and friends, but we will be there for them in the months and years to come.
This disease, in all its forms, is a curse on humanity. We need more fundraising, more research, more education on its dangers.
Before Sunday’s game against Dundee United you will be able to buy a Celtic FC Foundation badge, to aid work with homelessness in the Glasgow area. Badges cost a minimum donation of £1, a price we can all afford to help our neighbours in most need.
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praecepta
22:03 on
9 May, 2014
Here you go, mate
http://youtu.be/ApFVWaq_o3Q?t=1m30s
Try again http://youtu.be/ohXI3po8hK0
What an inspiration and a fighter Oscar was. Rest in peace wee man.. Would be great to give him maybe a huddle facing the pitch on Sunday on the 5th minute.
celticrollercoaster luvs his luminious lime boots
Yes mate , hope to catch up with you at some point.
Sleep tonight…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDH7oD_AQW8
Forgot about this.
Wee Oscar does C’mon you Bhoys in Green
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2OgjT3HMyG0
HH
CRC
Wee full text version of my post on the wee man. As well as a tribute to him, it’s also for the guys – and they know who they are – who did so much for him.
You all must be feeling like Hell tonight. Words can’t do justice to what you guys have done, what you continue to do in the way you constantly put yourselves out there for others, on this site and beyond. Words are what I’ve got.
You guys are my heroes, as the wee man was.
—
Ralph Wando Emerson said “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” Plato said that “Courage is a kind of salvation.”
Today the writing is going to be hard.
Today, expressing what I’m feeling is going to be difficult because this is one of those days when my feelings are all over the place, being pulled this way and that.
On the one hand, I want to salute young Oscar Knox and the people who loved him, and were there with him, for being brave beyond the point of ordinary endurance.
I want to pay tribute to their courage, and their love, and remind them they are not alone.
Words can do that sometimes. Yet, they feel inadequate to this task, maybe because I do. I can write the most flowery sentences that will flow from my brain, to my fingers to the keyboard. If I can sort out my own mess of emotions I can do that, but today part of me wants to just pull the curtains, switch everything off and sit in the dark for a while.
I sit here and think, and I type. What good, what possible good, could words do at this time? We, all of us, can sit here and write the most vivid prose, the most heartfelt condolences. We can send them on to those who’re in pain.
Yet the world never runs out of funeral cards, and hallmark sentiment is cheaper than happy hour beer. “We are sorry for your loss.” “You are in our thoughts.” “We are thinking about you.” All true, I’m sure, all written with feeling. But so what? Our sympathy makes not one iota of difference, it does not change a single thing, it does not make the sky less dark or the picture more clear and it doesn’t bring back those who have gone.
When I heard the news this morning about little Oscar it was that, the monetary stab of anger, that got to me to switch on the computer. I thought about those quotes and I wasn’t inspired. I was pissed off instead, and I’m still kind of pissed off.
Why should a young boy at that age have to show heroism like that? Why should Oscar have needed to be that brave for five minutes, far less the “five minutes longer” which have made him such a part of our lives? Why should a kid have to go through something as awful as this? Is courage really a form of salvation, and if it is, how exactly does that work?
Because, to me, children aren’t supposed to have this kind of courage. They are not supposed to need it. We live in a terrible world where this is one of the requirements of childhood.
Why should a family have to struggle on in the face of this? What’s our existence about if good people are tested in such a way? Where’s the salvation for them? Where is the ending where they get to see their son grow up?
Yeah, the anger is still there. The sense of frustration, the sense of “what are we supposed to do now?, the hundreds of questions, which all come down to the same question really, the one a lot of us will be asking ourselves today; what is the damned point?
Then I remember, because then it dawns on me, that this, this right here, this is the point. The anger is part of the process. The frustration is perfectly natural. This is what love is, this is how you feel when someone special, someone important to you, is gone.
It dawns on me then, on me right now, that this is what it’s about, this is what we’re all about, this is the real tribute to Oscar Knox, that someone who never met him, who knew his name from the internet, who read his dad’s heartfelt blogs, who conversed with him on Twitter a couple of times, but who’s interaction was limited to that, to observance from distance, should feel like this today, as if no distance existed, as if I had met these people for myself.
I suspect I’m not alone. I imagine people across the world are, today, feeling the same numbed shock. It doesn’t matter whether we met the wee man or not, because he was part of us anyway. That heroism and that courage touched us regardless.
We followed his story, from near or far, and we crossed our fingers and we said our prayers, and we didn’t expect a happy ending but we hoped for one, and in our way we braced ourselves for a day like today, knowing it would hurt when it came, and it does. It really does.
Yes, the pain is there with the anger, each vying to be the over-riding emotion I feel today, but both are overwhelmed by another one, one I didn’t expect, and it’s this one that pulls me towards it, that wants to be how I choose to remember and pay my respects.
There are rare people in the world, people who are like candles in the dark. They illuminate their surroundings, and we can see their light from afar. I sometimes think about the times in which we live, where that darkness weaves and creeps around us, where cynicism and despair are, for many people, the default positions they adopt for their lives, and my heart is glad for the flicker of those candles and I feel the ache when one of them dies away.
Oscar Knox was one of them. His light was bright enough to be seen a world away. What we feel at his loss wants to pull us all into that black hole of grief and despondency, but that would be the ultimate tragedy, and his story has had too much of that already.
Those who did know Oscar, who did have the sublime pleasure of spending time with him and his family, have spoken to me about him, and about them, in the same awed tones, the same love and affection, and every single one of them, on every single occasion, did so with a smile. They are not haunted by the memories of a boy in a hospital bed, unable to smile or enjoy simple pleasures, although I am sure he had such moments.
No, those who have spoken about him did so with joy in their hearts, the joy at having known him, at having seen him, at having loved him. They were gladdened by the memories of a happy and joyful child, one who knew more about those simple pleasures than most of us ever will, who experienced life in a way that our own sometimes jaded outlook will not allow.
Oscar Knox was surrounded by love his whole life, and in his passing that love remains. It does not die, because love itself is immortal. For all the brutality in this world, for all people talk about “monuments to hate” love is the one thing that outlasts everything else, and we sometimes forget that when we are lost in the moment. Enmity is forgotten by history. Rivalry is devoured and made irrelevant by change. Anger fades, until it is no longer significant and hate itself is an awful, colossal and exhausting waste of time and energy, which is why it cannot be sustained.
Love energises and inspires. It lifts our hearts, and our spirits and it’s that which makes those candles burst into life in the first place. No-one ever lit a candle to anger or kept one burning out of spite. No eternal flame will ever symbolise an enemy who’ll never be forgotten or forgiven.
Oscar was surrounded by love, and it grew outward from the centre like a wall of light, and it brought a smile of joy and a feeling of warmth to every person it touched. The candle might have gone out, but all of us carry a little bit of that light inside us, and the best tribute I can pay to Oscar is that today I know that, and I am grateful the world ever had him in it, for giving that to everyone who was touched by his time here.
As human beings, none of us is born exactly right. There’s a part of all of us that belongs to the darkness. What Oscar did is remind us all that part of us also belongs to the light, and that of the two the light is stronger, and more enduring. The good we do, the happiness we bring, the love we introduce to the world … it is what remains of us when we’re gone, in the memories of others, in how they feel when they remember us.
So today we hold on to the light. Oscar Knox is gone, much too young and much too soon, but the light will never go out, because it’s inside us and we carry it. No matter what it is we’re doing, or where we go, or the troubles in our own lives, part of Oscar will be there, and I for one will try to remember that most on the days when my own life seems shrouded and gloomy.
I will try to remember that there was once a boy who got out of bed every day in spite of the pain and wanted to play in the sun. That he kept on smiling when most of us would have wanted to cry. I will try to remember that his family responded to his illness with hope rather than despair. I will try to remember the people who became part of his life because he touched something good in them and that he inspired their own capacity to love.
Love is what you leave behind you Oscar, and that is everything.
Mother Teresa said “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” I can get behind that.
Gone, but not forgotten, Oscar. You leave behind a world that is a little less bright because you’re no longer in it but a better place than it was before you were here. For you, there is no more pain and no more hurt. You are with the angels who sent you to us.
Rest in Peace little man, and love and respect to those close to you, those you leave behind.
We will never forget you.
‘Good night’, Oscar, our never to be forgotten Celtic hero …….. Heaven will now benefit from your presence…….
Ryecatcher
God bless your sis. Proof in the pudding of the earlier advice. It’s the impact. The impact.
She’s now impacted on us CQNers too. Twinkle twinkle.
HH
http://youtu.be/ekAeKNEODus
HH Timdom. KTF. Jamesgang
paulsatim
Cheers – it was the mental picture of him hoofing the ball that stuck with me.
God love him – typical wee bhoy – couldn’t resist a kick at a stationary ball. :-)
James F
Brilliant Sir, take a bow.
D D
What else???
Night all Night wee Oscar. Say a prayer for me. God bless x x
Before I hit the cot, a magic fotie…….
@Nickyp1980: From Wolfe Tone CSC Buncrana- absolutely beautiful @Wee_Oscar ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ #YNWA #TeamOscarForever #CelticFamily http://t.co/G5fWYnmYm4
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
boab 18888
just my thoughts also.
had it on
HailHail
sorry 1888
WeeFra
That’s fantastic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y6MbEMbss8
M7
Brilliant! Best wee fighter I have ever seen.
Delaneys Dunky
23:19 on
9 May, 2014
M7
Brilliant! Best wee fighter I have ever seen
I hadn’t seen that before until tonight, Oscar the Celtic Warrior
Such sad news.
God bless wee Oscar.
HT
I thought so too. Thanks for the call last night, and apols for my reaction. Shattered. Hopefully see you on sunday, but at the mo, it’s not looking good. Mrsweefra is back on 2 sticks, a bad sign. Will keep you updated on her progress, if any. :-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
WeeFra
Ok wee fella keep that head up and keep those spirits strong :-)
Weefra
Take care pal. And love n cuddles to Mrs Weefra.
HH jamesgang
HT
:-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Devastated.
Good night.
They were outraged that the Hibs v Killie game was not on TV
Reply to @STVGrant @TomEnglishSport @STVRaman
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DJBEE @celticonly 9m
@STVGrant @TomEnglishSport @STVRaman Is it a sell out?
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Grant Russell @STVGrant 9m
@celticonly @TomEnglishSport @STVRaman No. Nor will it be, I’m happy to wager.
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DJBEE @celticonly 6m
@STVGrant @TomEnglishSport @STVRaman If it is not a sell out then why make a big fuss of it not being on TV, there is highlights and radio.
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Tom English @TomEnglishSport 5m
@celticonly @STVGrant @STVRaman Especially radio…
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DJBEE @celticonly 2m
@TomEnglishSport @STVGrant @STVRaman I like your “open all mikes stuff” but I will b resting beforeSun trad dusting down n waving of big cup
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Anyone know anything about The Horrors?
Really impressed by that performance on Jools there!
There is not much i could say that has not already been said about a wee innocent bhoy who’s strength and courage would put most of us to shame.
There nothing i could say to his parents to ease their pain at the passing of their boy, the pain and hurt will be overwhelming, the only comfort they will have is at least wee Oscar will not have to suffer any more, he is in a better place.
Sometimes a story touches you and most parents can relate to a family with a seriously ill child, the courage not only Oscar had in spades but his mum and dad must also have, to go through what they have i can only imagine, it is simply heartbreaking……..
My prayers go out to the Knox family and only hope the get some solace from the impact Wee Oscar had on many peoples lives…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j8mr-gcgoI Wish you were here wee man!
gebhoy
jamesgang
Thanks kiddo for your good thoughts, much appreciated. You also take care, and remember that date next season, it’s on. :-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
good night all
nite nite Oscar
Hail Hail
Weefra
Love n faith for Mrs W. X
WeefratheTim
brilliant photo
Hope your wife feels better soon
some really great posts tonight for a remarkable wee mhan
goodnight timland
Wee Oscar GBNF
HH
DD
Cheers dunky, great to know you, would be even better to meet you and all CQNrs. I have, of course met many, and have been impressed with every one. Says a lot about the standard of our support. The Best in the World. Bar none. :-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
A sad day at losing a little fighter who has inspired many.
DJBEE @celticonly 13m
@STVGrant @TomEnglishSport @STVRaman Seems like you and T English are the only ones that are bothered it is not on TV, why?
dena29
Awe thanks Dena. Yes she has had a terrible week after going over on her ankle. She has osteoporosis. Obviously her ankles can snap at any time, as one has already. How are you my dear, hope you and your beautiful family are well. If I don’t make it on sunday, will meet up again next season. KTF :-))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.