Current:Home > StocksOlympian Madeline Musselman Honors Husband Pat Woepse After Fatal Cancer Battle -Wealth Empowerment Academy
Olympian Madeline Musselman Honors Husband Pat Woepse After Fatal Cancer Battle
View
Date:2025-04-17 13:27:54
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! (14357)
Related
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- UPS eliminates Friday day shifts at Worldport facility in Louisville. What it means for workers
- Dr. Dre to receive inaugural Hip-Hop Icon Award from music licensing group ASCAP
- Small U.S. Solar Businesses Suffering from Tariffs on Imported Chinese Panels
- Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
- Bruce Willis' 9-Year-Old Daughter Is Researching Dementia Amid Dad's Health Journey
- Assault suspect who allegedly wrote So I raped you on Facebook still on the run 2 years after charges were filed
- The Climate Change Health Risks Facing a Child Born Today: A Tale of Two Futures
- The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
- Ex-NYPD sergeant convicted of acting as Chinese agent
Ranking
- Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
- Fishing crew denied $3.5 million prize after their 619-pound marlin is bitten by a shark
- U.S. Military Bases Face Increasingly Dangerous Heat as Climate Changes, Report Warns
- A first-generation iPhone sold for $190K at an auction this week. Here's why.
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- Coal Miner Wins Black Lung Benefits After 14 Years, Then U.S. Government Bills Him
- Judge blocks Arkansas's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth
- Missouri to restrict gender-affirming care for trans adults this week
Recommendation
How to watch new prequel series 'Dexter: Original Sin': Premiere date, cast, streaming
As conservative states target trans rights, a Florida teen flees for a better life
Khartoum's hospital system has collapsed after cease-fire fails
Michelle Obama launches a food company aimed at healthier choices for kids
Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment
He helped craft the 'bounty hunter' abortion law in Texas. He's just getting started
Exxon Agrees to Disclose Climate Risks Under Pressure from Investors
Minnesota to join at least 4 other states in protecting transgender care this year