Celebrating Ken
Ken’s Mother held a memorial service for Ken this past Sunday. The priest did a good job of balancing his thoughts on Ken’s beliefs and also speaking to Ken’s contributions including this blog.
Here is the bio that was on the church bulletin…
Kenneth William Maudsley
Kebo
Ken was born in Hollywood, CA on May 3, 1970. He graduated with honors from Gadsden High School where he was voted 1 of the 10 Most Notables and he went on to attend Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL where he graduated with a BA in Fine Arts & Mathematics in 1992. Ken was an active member of Sig Ep fraternity. He completed his education with an MS in Statistics from Auburn University in 1994.
He then moved to Atlanta where he pursued his interests in graphic design and also met his wife Tina. He had been working for the past 12 years as a Vice President of Digital Strategy at Max Productions.
Ken & Tina were married for 15 years and then Ken was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme – GBM (terminal brain cancer) in August of 2011. He was mindful of the power of positive thinking and making every interaction and relationship a positive experience.
Ken enjoyed gourmet cooking, painting, scuba diving, driving & working on his motorcycles, travel, and spending time with his cats Mila and Pickles. He was a member of the RB Motorcycle group where he designed their t-shirts for the past 10 years. His blog, Glioblasted.com, has been an inspiration to hundreds of people including GBM patients and caregivers. He has worldwide followers who he has given advice & guidance to for the past two years of his fight. Ken & Tina’s personal journey and their willingness to share will live on as a legacy for the future.
After his diagnosis, Ken wrote this mantra…
“To live healthy.
To let love rule.
To release my creative genius.
Get better…every day”
Ken will be cremated tomorrow & his ashes will be delivered to me on Friday. Our friend Phil made this beautiful vessel out of cherry wood to hold Ken’s ashes (the top is made out of figleaf maple burl). The top piece is Ken holding his arms in the air & is so special because that’s what Ken liked to do on vacation as in the featured image above of Ken in Maui, Hawaii at the Seven Pools.
I hope to continue this blog to tell more of Ken’s story through the celebrations and then at some point start writing from the Caregiver’s perspective.
We will be holding an Atlanta, Georgia celebration to honor Ken Saturday, July 13th.
15 responses to “Celebrating Ken”
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A glioblastoma journey 
A beautiful tribute to a beautiful man. I wish I could be with you on Saturday, July 13th. Because I can’t, I send all my love and a big hug to you. More thoughts coming personally by mail….xoxo
God speed Ken. You will always have a place in my heart.
No one asks to become a teacher in this way, but you both more than rose to the occasion. With thanks for what you both taught and still teach us about living large, every day. With love, Cindi
Ken, you were in all of our thoughts this past weekend at the RHR. You will truly be missed. God bless.
Deeply sorry Ken is gone. Both of you were fighting very hard !
I hope you, Tina will follow the advices he gave you and will try to find happiness in cherishing him in heart and thoughts. Life must go on.
I am sure your friends will be with you in these painful period.
Affectueusement and love from Marie José InNice.
I found Ken’s blog after finding out a work mate has this type cancer. I found humour, joy and a life well lived! I hope time will allow that joy of life shine through. Strange the sadness you can feel at the passing of someone you never met and who never knew me, however I suspect that was the mark of this man! Xx
Thank you so much for keeping us with you even at this most difficult time. I will keep you close in thought tomorrow x
Tina – I have been following Ken’s blog since December, when a close friend ofice was diagnosed with GBM. She found hard for 50 days before succumbing to the pain and damage that this dreadful cancer causes.
Ken was an inspiration to me, and his thoughts and innovative beliefs about staying healthy so fascinated me. It was obvious even to a stranger like me, that he had south love and support around him, and especially from you. May his memory be a blessing and inspiration to all those fighting similar battles.
The vessel is a piece of art very fitting for the artist Ken is.
I will be there in thoughts.
tribute to Ken :
Guy (from Belgium)
My Husband was diagnosed with GBM about a month ago and he is in his radiation and chemo pill phase right now. We live in the Toronto area in Ontario, Canada.
I want to offer one piece of advice- Get the pill organizer right away.
My husband is very grouchy now and getting forgetful but insists on taking pills from the bottle and swears he knows what he is doing. I am at work during the day for now. I respond based on what is happening at the moment but he sees it as big change.
Had I had a pill oranizer on the first day and always had his meds organzed, he would not be ranting to me about changing things and treating him like an invalid.
The steroids are giving him mood swings.
Surgery is not an option for his tumour.
My husband travelled the same journey as Ken, he was diagnosed
a month later, I lost him 2 months ago. Tina you will be travelling the same journey as me. Tina Please keep this blog going and maybe I can be a help to you during your darkest hours as we travel this new journey together.
Thank you for continuing this blog. Statistical odds are I’ll be in your shoes sooner than I hope for, so the experiences of other brain tumor widow(er)s will be helpful.
Thanks Tina…May God strengthen you to face the situation..
TINA I WAS SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT KEN LOSING HIS BATTLE. MY MOM LOST HERS IN 29 DAYS ON 9-3-09. SHE DID NOT SUFFER LIKE SO MANY DO, AND FOR THAT I WILL ALWAYS BE THANLFUL. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND HOLD YOU SAFELY IN HIS ARMS. ANOTHER GADSDEN HIGH TIGER.