Touchdown for Dreams and Touchdown Atlantic intersected on July 28 in Halifax.
After the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ walk-through at Saint Mary’s University’s Huskies Field, the players flocked toward Sue Linnen and her husband, Ken.
Running back Jamal Morrow was quick to present Sue with a football.
A group photo was then taken.
Hugs and handshakes followed.
It was a wonderful, joyous occasion — the highlight of the trip for this scribbler.
Before Sue met with the players — an interaction that was a complete surprise to her — I had the honour of meeting her and listening to her story.
At that point, she had been battling lymphoma for 12 of her 73 years.
“They’ve just designated that I’m now officially called ‘palliative care,’ ” she told me. “I asked Dr. Google and you know how accurate he is.
“Palliative care can go on for years, and that’s my plan.”
Cheerfully and matter-of-factly, Sue related the details of her lengthy fight with lymphoma.
“The first eight years were a breeze,” she said. “I would go for chemo and go for lunch with friends. No problem at all.
“But four years ago, I lost the use of my legs in a matter of four days. On a Saturday, we went to the symphony and, by Tuesday, I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t stand. My legs wouldn’t support me.
“I said to the doctor, ‘When am I going to get my legs back? When will I walk again?’ And he said, ‘We can’t guarantee that you’ll ever walk.’ I looked at him and I thought, ‘Watch me!’ ”
Having recounted that conversation, Sue got out of her chair and went for a little stroll, laughing the entire time.
Everyone around her shared her joy and basked in her presence.
Sue and Ken were in Halifax thanks to Cameco Riders Touchdown for Dreams, which assists women who are facing a life-threatening cancer diagnosis.
It was Sue’s wish to see a Roughriders away game — a dream that became a reality on July 29.
Well, guess what?
She attended another Roughriders road game.
Two months after watching the Roughriders face the Toronto Argonauts and Touchdown Atlantic, Sue and Ken were at BC Place Stadium to watch the Green and White oppose the B.C. Lions.
The Roughriders arranged for the Linnens to receive sideline passes so they could get an up-close-and-personal perspective before the game.
“Having a wonderful trip, with some unexpected events,” Sue said via email while en route to Vancouver, noting that that the closure of the Trans-Canada Highway near Golden, B.C., had necessitated a 250-kilometre detour.
“The plus side … beautiful scenery.”
Typical Sue. She always focused on the “plus side.”
Her perpetual positivism resonated with everyone who attended the Touchdown for Dreams gala in Saskatoon on Oct. 11.
She spoke to the crowd and, as always, made friends left and right. She had a lengthy conversation with quarterback Trevor Harris, a Touchdown for Dreams player ambassador, and made everyone’s day while shrugging off the struggles she was facing.
Sue passed away only 15 days after the gala. By her side, as always, was Ken. The Linnens had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 21.
Over a half-century of marriage, they raised three children (Andrea, Barb and Dana) and also became the proud grandparents of Jessica, Hannah, Owen, William, Jack, Marcos and Marisol.
For Ken and Sue, it was also a point of pride to be Roughriders season-ticket holders for 49 years.
As a couple, they cheered for everyone from Ron Lancaster and George Reed to Trevor Harris and Jamal Morrow.
And, oh, how we cheered for Sue and Ken in return — as we did on that unforgettable Friday afternoon in Halifax, barely three months ago.
Considering the nature of the diagnosis Sue had received, she was all too aware that every day, every minute, was precious.
Yet, she was kind enough to share some of that time with us, creating cherished memories that will endure.
