[lolabella]

Originally Posted by TAPPY

What did Doug die of ??? He was one of my favorite trainers on the show !!

I'm not sure. I've read different posts. Most seem to point to brain tumor.

I found the following on another site. It's from Jody Watley's myspace.

Writing is healing and cathartic for me - and so I write. Life has dealt one of it's cruel sucker punches. I feel numb from the sadness, shock and extreme disbelief. Many of you watched 'WORKOUT' this summer...and got a tiny glimpse into my relationship with Doug Blasdell. When we met, he was my trainer, and spin teacher. We became close friends over the nearly 10 years I was blessed to know him.

Doug passed away, yesterday - and all of us who loved him are stunned.

He was one of the nicest, most caring and loving souls on the planet, and now he is gone. I am beside myself with grief. I would say Doug had dealt with more loss than most..having lost his entire family - mother, father, grandmother from cancer and his sister from a car accident. We talked about this often - and shared the added pain of his nearly 15-year relationship, which ended in betrayal. We bonded, and shared our feelings.
Doug was the one, of all of my friends, who came to aid with my Mom when she was briefly confined to a wheelchair, after her own near fatal accident a year and a half ago.
He was concerned about my 2 kids all the time saying "how are your babies??!" I'd laugh and say, "they aren't babies now".. and he'd say, "well, yes, they will always be your 'babies" - he was right. Doug was a part of our family. I just hope he knew how much he meant to all of us..and to me, most of all. This moment reminds me, how precious and unpredictable life can be.
We have today... to make sure the people in our lives know they are loved and appreciated. Right now, I'm wondering why, as much as Doug meant, I have but one photo of us - from 8 years ago. It's a little thing, but it's bothering me. I got caught - I thought he'd always be here I suppose.

I last saw Doug before Christmas, I was running errands - and he was about to have lunch with a friend. We hugged each other, promised to get together for dinner or cocktails to catch up - he asked if he looked OK - and I teased him as I always do .. "you never look bad Doug!!" I playfully squeezed his arm muscle and said "Alriiight - Doug!!" I harmlessly flirted with Doug all the time. One couldn't help it - Doug was a GREAT looking guy, and an even greater man.That day perhaps he felt vulnerable.
"I love you Doug..will you marry me!!". He laughed. as always. This was a joke we had. He told me "I love you - say hi to your babies for me".. and I laughed and vowed to see him soon. That day will unfortunately, never come.
We traded messages - as friends with a hectic life often do - voice mail. I missed his Birthday/Christmas party, my son had a basketball game and I couldn't make it. I called to say I was worried about him after New Years, since I hadn't heard from him.
It turns out - Doug had gone into a coma, and with one inexplicable medical complication after another, his duties as an angel to all of us had deemed his work here done. The only thing I can do to make sense of this, is to put it in that context - he had to be an angel and therefore, he couldn't live long. I'll admit, a part of me is also angry. There are a lot of bad people walking around...why couldn't it be them?

I am a better person for having known Doug. The word 'friend' rarely has people who live up to what it should represent. I often tell my kids - every person you meet, or associate with, is not your friend. If you've lost someone to death, you'll know what I mean - those of us left behind undoubtedly feel inadequate somehow, wondering if we could have done something differently. If I had the chance, I'd say - "Doug, we need a new photo of us together!! I'd also ask, "Doug, I hope you know how much your friendship means to me, because I haven't told you in awhile."

All of the 'he is in a better place' , 'everything happens for a reason', rationalizations don't ease the pain. His friends want Doug to be here - it's a selfish thing to say - but it just seems the world was a better place with Doug in it.

I have but one photograph - but endless moments to forever remember Doug. My heart is broken.

I pray Doug will rest eternally in peace - as he settles in with the rest of the angels.