NHL prospect Austin Roest made the heartbreaking revelation that his girlfriend, Milaria Okabe, was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.
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The hockey star penned an emotional note to his beau on social media on Thursday (September 3). In the post, which is accompanied by a carousel of photos of Roest and Okabe in her hospital bed, he calls her the "strongest person" he knows. As she continues to battle with the disease.
"Milly, I don't even know what to say. I am so sorry this is happening to you," he wrote in the post (via PEOPLE). "No one deserves to go through this. That being said, I do not doubt in my mind that you will beat cancer. You are the strongest person I know. And I know you will overcome everything that comes your way over the next year. I love you so much, and I will be right there with you through all of this??."
NHL Prospect Reveals Girlfriend's Cancer Diagnosis
According to a GoFundMe created by her friend Kristin LeDuc, Okabe was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma, which is a cancer that lives in organ glands. Stage 4 cancer is the most aggressive stage, as it means the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and is usually not curable.
But as LeDuc says in the GoFundMe, Milara is "much more than her diagnosis."
"She is a kind, strong, and selfless person who means so much to everyone around her. Skating has always been a huge part of Milara's life. After spending years as a high-level skater herself, she now loves being able to share that passion by teaching kids how to skate," the GoFundMe reads.
"As Milara goes through treatment, her family is doing everything possible to remain by her side. Along with the emotional weight of her diagnosis, she is now facing time away from work, travel and accommodation costs, medications, fertility preservation, and many other unexpected expenses."
As of Tuesday, the fundraiser has raised more than $84,000, surpassing its initial target goal of $80,000.
