Current:Home > MyOlympian Madeline Musselman Honors Husband Pat Woepse After Fatal Cancer Battle -AssetTrainer
Olympian Madeline Musselman Honors Husband Pat Woepse After Fatal Cancer Battle
View
Date:2025-04-14 18:53:28
Madeline Musselman is remembering her late husband.
Less than a month after the Olympian shared her husband Pat Woepse had died at 31 following a battle with a rare form of cancer called NUT carcinoma, she joined family and friends to celebrate his life at an outing to Newport Beach, Calif.
In addition to a church service, Pat's loved ones honored him with an ocean swim as a tribute to the late UCLA water polo player, who once swam across the English Channel.
"All for you, Pat. All for you," Madeline captioned a Nov. 3 Instagram video. "We love you and miss you. We can do hard things. PW FOREVER."
The 26-year-old—who won gold with her water polo team at the 2020 Tokyo and 2016 Rio Olympics—first shared the news of Pat's passing on Oct. 10.
"No words to describe the ache of missing him" she wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the two on the beach. "He was the light of my life and my person. He was my first love and the best husband I could have ever asked for."
She added, "And although it feels heavy and I can't breathe as I sit here typing this out, he is no longer in pain and was so at peace during his last moments. He battled one of the most rare cancers for over a year, never complained, and fought harder than anyone should have to fight for something in their life."
But he'll always be in her heart.
"I love you so much babe," she said. "I will be missing you forever."
Madeline and Pat first met in 2022 and married in October 2023, shortly after learning about his cancer diagnosis.
"All the people that came together to make it happen within four days," Madeline recalled to NBCLos Angeles in August, "it was pretty crazy. We had flowers. We had a church that welcomed us with open arms to marry us. It was just a perfect weekend."
Pat had previously shared that despite his health and the chemotherapy treatments he was undergoing, he was determined to watch his wife compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics—and he did.
"This was my biggest goal, with everything being so unknown," he told NBC. "So pretty emotional, emotional day for me. Couldn't be more thrilled to be here to support Maddie and the team.
And while the couple wanted to keep many aspects of their lives private, the athletes shared their hope that by being open about their story they could be an inspiration to others dealing with difficult situations.
"We're sharing our story not for people to feel sorry for us or feel bad for what we're going through," Madeline said. "If anything it's for inspiration and that you can get to the other side of things With the people that are right next to you, we hope for that."
(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (84)
Related
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- Democrats lose attempt to challenge New Hampshire electoral district maps
- See Blue Ivy and Beyoncé's Buzzing Moment at Renaissance Film London Premiere
- Japan expresses concern about US Osprey aircraft continuing to fly without details of fatal crash
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- Infrequent grand juries can mean long pretrial waits in jail in Mississippi, survey shows
- CEOs favor stock analysts with the same first name, study shows. Here's why.
- Connecticut woman claims she found severed finger in salad at Chopt restaurant
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Ex-health secretary Matt Hancock defends his record at UK’s COVID inquiry
Ranking
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Trump gag order in New York fraud trial reinstated as appeals court sides with judge
- Candy company Mars uses cocoa harvested by kids as young as 5 in Ghana: CBS News investigation
- Sebastian the husky reunited with owner after getting stuck in Kentucky sewer drain
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service extend 20th anniversary concert tour with 16 new dates
- Trump gag order in New York fraud trial reinstated as appeals court sides with judge
- Ferry operators around the country to receive $200M in federal grants to modernize fleets
Recommendation
Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
Still alive! Golden mole not seen for 80 years and presumed extinct is found again in South Africa
AP Week in Pictures: Asia
Adelson adding NBA team to resume of casino mogul, GOP power broker, US and Israel newspaper owner
Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
Newport Beach police investigating Thunder's Josh Giddey
NFL Week 13 picks: Can Cowboys stay hot against Seahawks?
A Students for Trump founder has been charged with assault, accused of hitting woman with gun