Nicholas Lawson

Nick died October 1, with his brother, sister and daughter at his side. We will always remember him for his humour, quick wit, firm but gentle honesty, and ability to always see and bring out the best in others. He was a great friend, a great dad, a great human. When Nick was diagnosed with cancer in August 2020, just shy of his 37th birthday, he was given 2-3 years to live assuming he responded to the available chemotherapies. We were told that, contrary to what you might expect, his young age meant that his cancer was likely to be especially aggressive, and made for a worse prognosis. Genetic markers in the cancer cells and the location of his primary tumour were also associated with poorer outcomes, shortening the window of what we could hope for. Even knowing this, Nick faced these last two years with a characteristic stiff upper lip and generosity that saw him always brightening the day of people he met - joking with his chemo nurses, touching the hearts and lives of care aides, making and keeping lasting friendships wherever he went. Nick knew better than most that cancer is a ruthless and merciless thief. He didn't want his experience to be described as a fight or a battle, because that implied he could be an active participant in the outcome, when really he was forced onto a path he never wanted and couldn't control. Still, I can't imagine someone walking it with more dignity and bravery. In his last moments, Nick remained deeply protective of those he cared about, trying to shield us from the sickness he was enduring. He hoped for a little more time, a few more rips up the road on his minibike, and many more laughs. I hope you'll raise a glass to his memory, and know he'd say something cuttingly sarcastic about the stupidity of feeling sad about a life so well lived. We love you always, hun.