HywRider in hospital with brain lesions

[id-man]

Scary stuff - for those of you who know Neil aka HwyRider I heard from his wife Chris that he has been in the hospital all week with some level of brain lesion(s). I don't have a lot of information at this time except he has been getting radiation treatments with his last one tomorrow after which he is to return home. Chris said it would be OK to blab it to the forum and cards would be nice...but I don't even have an address yet. Anyone who has more information please share it here, as I will add anything new I learn.

[Yellow Jacket]

Prayers sent. Keep us advised. Thanks.

Bob

[BigRed]

I received a short note from Neil's wife but no additional details. I don't know his address either.

[ctrider]

I also had the same note from Neil's wife. Brain lesion's can mean so many things. My prayers to his family and I don't have his address either.

[Loafer]

I met Neil when he was passing through Montpelier to turn over his beloved
Montreal Hockey Jersey in Colchester, Vt.

I wish him all the Best! _/\_

8/9/2015 Montpelier, Vt.

[RACNRAY]

I am hopin for a full recovery.

RACNRAY

[cnc]

Sorry to hear of this, hope everything turns out ok.
Neal, my thoughts are with you.

[MVA-Voyager]

Please pass along my thoughts and prayers!

[robjob]

Thoughts and prayers Neil for a speedy recovery.

[JD Hog]

Prayers sent your way for a full and speedy recovery.

[smokier]

Greetings,
Please pass our thoughts and prayers on.
Ride safe,
Smokier & Smokette

[talon]

Prayers for full and speedy recovery.

[id-man]

UPDATE - I have a feeling Neil may monitor this thread / forum as he is home now but has some very discouraging things to say. Let me share it in his own words;

"I came home yesterday. I don’t have much time left. I have been diagnosed with lung cancer with brain and adrenal metastasis. Well wishes can be posted online.
We’ll keep you up to date"

I am asking him for more clarification on what that really means but it sounds a lot like GOODBYE to me, especially that last part "well wishes can be posted online" - I get the sense he's not well enough to receive visitors, maybe not well enough to post in person.

I'll reserve any mushy comments till I hear more but it feels like it's what everyone fears...For now I'd just like to share some pics of a few really good memories Neil was a key part of.

Laconia 2014 - Neil third from left / MacMac far right:



Meeting up on the road / Braintree MA:



Geoffs Backyard BBQ 2014 - Big Red far left, Neil middle (looking up ice cream joints on our phones):



Geoffs - eating:



Neil en route to Newport Rhode Island - needs a little pushie up the hill....hehe:



Neil and my Bonnie strolling in Newport - sometimes you just gotta be a tourist:



Lunch in Newport - two things Neil likes to do is eat and talk:



This one goes back a ways - buddies from volusiariders.com forum meeting on Cape Cod. Ironically the guy on the far left died within a year after this pic - maybe I should stop taking pictures :(



Neil somewhere near Provincetown Cape Cod 2 years ago I think. Neil has no problem hopping on his bike and hitting the road for hours:



Lunch in Ptown same day - did I mention Neil has a great appetite? We share that!:



That's all I got - please share yours if you've got them.

[Loafer]

Neil you're a great guy, I enjoyed talking with you at Mulligan's in Barre.
Hope you can beat this, all the BEST to you!!

Montpelier, Vt. State Capital Building.

[id-man]

UPDATE #2 - Got another email even more disturbing:

I am guessing about 2 weeks <left>, and this may be my last email. I am just trying to get my affairs in order.

So no address was offered for cards, flowers or visitors and we may not hear from Neil again. All I can say is that's a hasty departure. I can't imagine what he's going through but if there's a good spin he won't be suffering long. I'm not clear if he's well enough to check in with the forum or not but if you interacted with HwyRider over his 4,628 posts here then this would be a real good time to say something before it's too late.

People pass through our lives and Neil sure did pass through mine. Neil was a great encouragement to me when I first started riding just a few years ago, offering to meet up and get me to expand my horizons. He was my original riding buddy, even though he lived some 75 miles away he was always up to come to where I was, ride hours with me, then book it back to Quincy. Neil was funny though, when he was done he would kindof wave and off he'd go down the road at a high rate of speed, headed home. Neil was also very generous...I have many parts on my bike (my trunk for instance) that were gifts from him. I mean real gifts, not even 'do me a favor sometime' just take it and enjoy. I can sincerely say I did not have nearly the time with him I wished. No matter how much we intellectually know we're not getting out of this alive it sure does suck when we lose friends. Neil if you see this know you will be missed. Proud to call you my friend!

If you've got a story about Neil or picture to share I'd sure like to see it. Maybe he'll see it too.