Former Tyrone GAA star Jody Gormley reveals heartbreaking ...
Former Tyrone GAA star Jody Gormley has revealed his heartbreaking terminal cancer diagnosis, saying he has ‘no fear of dying’.
Mr Gormley initially played for Tyrone between 1995 and 1998, helping his county win the Ulster Championship in his debut season, where they lost to Dublin in the All-Ireland Final.
After moving to London for work, Mr Gormley played for London county team for two years from 1999 before returning to his native county for a short stint in 2002.
Former Tyrone GAA star Jody Gormley has revealed his heartbreaking terminal cancer diagnosis, saying he has ‘no fear of dying’. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.Following his decision to hang up his boosts, Mr Gormley went on to manage Down for their 2006 campaign and Antrim, who he managed for two seasons.
Speaking to BBC NI’s GAA Social podcast, Mr Gormley confirmed that he has been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, saying: ‘I have no fear of dying. No fear of dying whatsoever. I’ve felt blessed my entire life.
‘The sadness is the people you’re leaving behind.’
Informing his side Trillick, who he guided to the Tyrone senior Championship last year, of his diagnosis in the changing rooms after their defeat by Errigal Ciaran last week, Mr Gormley expressed his pain of not getting to see his son play for the club.
‘He’s come back after a couple of years, that I’ll not get to see him play and I’ll not get to see my family grow up and mature. That’s not scary but sad really. That’s the reality.
‘When you peel it all back, it’s the people close to you that you’re not going to have those experiences with. That is the genuine sadness, there’s no being tough around that, that’s the reality,’ he said.
Mr Gormley suffered a stroke in July while in the gym with his son James in Florida during a family holiday before returning to hospital in September, when he was informed he had stage four liver cancer.
Jody Gormley. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile. COURAGE‘I think it’s important, for me anyway, to show that even if you’re facing the ultimate challenge that you can be resilient. It’s important for my family to show strength of character and the people around me.
‘It’s an opportunity for me to show that yeah just because you have a terminal illness doesn’t mean your life is over. I intend to go out with a bang, I’m not going to lie down in the corner.
‘People need different role models and I suppose in my role in my life as a teacher and a coach, I’ve had that role. This an opportunity to show that you can keep on going and if somebody finds something of use in it it’s worthwhile,’ he said.
Admitting that it’s ‘probably tougher’ on his family, Mr Gormley said he wants to be remembered as a ‘decent person who helped people out’ as much as he could’ and who tried to find ‘areas to help people improve, to improve their life and give them a wee nudge in the right direction’.
