Nick Glasgow passed away yesterday after a courageous and, in many ways, historic battle with leukemia. His mother Carole, whose loving support for her only son was constant and unwavering since his original diagnosis in March, was with Nick throughout his final days at home.
Nick’s condition brought global attention to the need for more potential bone marrow donors, especially for people with mixed-race backgrounds. Thousands of people registered to be donors, inspired by Nick’s story, shared first among his work colleagues at EMC Corporation and then to the company’s worldwide employees and beyond. After his doctors found two perfect matches, Nick received a successful transplant in August and was briefly cancer-free as he recovered from the effects of his debilitating disease and treatment. Nick’s cancer returned in late September.
I know my colleagues at EMC and many other caring people around the world share our grief at Nick’s passing and our deep sympathies for Carole and the rest of Nick’s family and friends. His memory will live on as a symbol of perseverance against the odds, and as someone who inspired countless people to make their own commitments to help others in their battles against cancer.
Rest in peace, Nick.
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The Race to Save Nick Glasgow 
I am really really sorry to hear the news, I´ve been following the story very closely since I heard about it @ EMC World. I am happy for him though, we will miss having him around, but he is in peace now, in a better place, and waiting for us. I will have him and his family in my prayers.
Maddie (EMC Mexico)
To Carole and the rest of your family and loved ones,
I know no simple note, nor collection of hundreds of the deepest condolences will help to heal your pain at this time, nonetheless I wish to pass mine along to you. I also want to thank you for having the strength and courage to share your story with us. You called us to action, and I am so proud to stand alongside the many who have used your story as a catalyst to join the bethematch organization. I hope someday I get the opportunity to give hope to another family through my donation, and it will truly be you they should be thanking.
Nick, look down on your family often, as I know you will
~our thoughts are prayers are with you all in Boston…
Nick was a colleague I never met but I and many others in EMC followed his battle. I am so shocked by his passing as it seemed he was finally winning.
My deepest sympathies go to his family. His unique battle brought so many people together and the human power of Social Media was shown for the drive in be the match.
Nick and his family is an inspiration and we must continue our support for donor drives in his memory and honour.
Farewell Nick.
I was pretty depressed after reading that Nick is no more. I was following Nick’s progress from far away in India and hoping that he would make a recovery against all odds.
My deepest condolences to Nick’s Family
Rest in peace Nick. wishing for strength for Carole and family
Carole,
My deepest condolences.
Eileen Robinson
I am shocked and so very sorry to read this news.
Somehow, I was sure that hope was still much alive and that Nick would defy the odds.
As the mom of a young man like Nick myself, I can only begin to fathom the fear and grief that Carole and family have faced.
If I could assume even a fraction of your pain, I gladly would.
Peace and comfort to you all,
Bonnie Anderson
My prayers continue for his entire family and friends at this painful parting. May God give you the fortitude that you need to carry on and the comfort of knowing that his life is not in vain.
The quality of our lives is not measured by how long we lived but how well it was lived. The tribute to Nick does show that his life here on earth was well lived.
Go now in peace Nick and may perpetual light shine upon you.
So sorry to hear this. So, so, sorry.
God Bless.
-Bob
Dear Carole and Family,
Please accept my heartfelt condolences. It goes without saying that Nick’s life has touched the hearts of many so deeply. The love and strength within your family has been nothing short of inspiring to those who closely followed Nick’s journey in this whole ordeal. I also would like to thank Nick’s grandfather for perpetually keeping us posted through his blog. Through his fervent documentation of Nick’s highs and lows, it gave us an intimate glimpse of Nick’s life. Though I work for EMC, I have never met Nick but in this short span of time, I have come to know the goodness of his character and the strength of his spirit.
You are in our thoughts and prayers. God bless you everyone. God bless you, Nick!
Sincerely,
Sarina
Deepest symthapies to the Glasgow family.
I followed Nick’s progress and was thrilled to see him find a match, then went through the surgery and his braveness afterwards. I was heartbroken to find out the news.
It’s time to celebrate Nick’ life and how he touched all of us..close and far.
God Bless !
Rest in peace Nick.
Carole, I am so sorry for your loss. I can’t even begin to imagine the magnitude of the heart-ache you must feel. As you mourn the loss of your child, continue to hold onto the strength you had while battling this horrific disease, and know that he will always be with you, in love and spirit.
God Bless you and your family.
I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Nick. I would read the updates on Channel EMC and the positive news would put a smile on my face.
I extended my deepest sympathies to the family and friends…he will be dearly missed.
You are an inspiration to us Nick.
Rhonda
To Carole and family,
“Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.” ~Flavia Weedn
I didn’t get to meet Nick in this life, but I hope to in the next.
While it is time now to celebrate his life and the hope your efforts have brought to the many lives of those affected by Leukemia, know how deeply our hearts hurt for you. Thank you so much for sharing Nick’s journey with us. Hang in there…
Our deepest sympathy,
PJ, Amy, Ada, our families, and friends
I was so saddened to hear of Nik’s passing, even those of us who never met him or Carole have watched the updates and prayed and hoped for his recovery.
I cannot imagine the grief of your family, but leave you with this poem, we read it at the my dad’s funeral, and it brought us all great comfort :
“I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says “There, she is gone.”
“Gone where?”
“Gone from my sight. That is all.”
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as when she left my side and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at that moment when someone says “There, she is gone” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout – “Here she comes!”
And that is dying.
by Henry Van Dyke
God Bless,
Holly
Carole
There are times when words are so inadequate to express our emotions, this is one of those times. just doesn’t feel right
Carole, you have been a true inspiration, your incredible strength and determination through all this has been phenomenal. You and your family will always be in our thoughts and prayers.
Rest in peace Nick, you will be missed down here…
I was one of the thousands of people who joined the bone marrow database because of Nick. I’m also of mixed heritage, Japanese-Chinese-Caucasian, and until I heard Nick’s story it never even occurred to me that my mixed heritage presented a danger. Joining the bone marrow database has given me a way to connect with a culture that often seems forever elusive, our mixed genetics almost seeming symbolic of the way we are across many cultures and yet never belonging to just one. I have been following Nick’s story through its ups and downs, and am so sorry to hear of his passing. My thoughts for Carole and all of Nick’s family and friends. I hope they are able to find peace and feel in a larger way what I feel, kinship for Nick, admiration for his strength throughout this journey, and honored to have known in some way a person with such grace in the face of the greatest test life can put before us.
I don’t know you Carole, and never had the pleasure to meet Nick, but I have followed Nick’s story since EMC publicized his fight. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family for strength and comfort and peace in the coming days.
Carole my sympathies to you and your family. Had many laughs with him the time we work together.. Nick was a great kid, I adored him.. You did a great job raising him..
He’s no longer in pain now and resting peacefully.. ?
again my sympathies..
connie
Nick, I’ll never forget you…
My Sweet NIck,
I will miss you so very much, your beautiful smile and infectious laugh , your sweet kind ways. I love you so much! We had so many fun times. You being in my life for the past two and a half years was the best! I will never forget you or stop loving you. You were an angel here on earth and now you just changed locations…look after all of us here that will miss you so very much , especially your mom, she will need you now more then ever!
Rest in peace baby MUAH
Carole,
I’m so sorry for your loss, I know nothing I or anyone else can say will take any of your pain away. But please know that my prayers will continue for you, Nick and your family. If there is anything I can do for you please contact me.
I know how close you and Nick are, (I refuse to use the word were) when Nick and I would be together or just talk on the phone he always talked about you and how you are his best friend and how beautiful you are, that says allot about him and the special bond you have, that will never be broken know matter where he is.
Love,
Kat
You will be missed Nick. Thank you for educating and inspiring me to sign up to be a multi-racial donor. I ran a marathon in your honor and tried to spread the word among friends. You have been a wonderful example of dignity in a tough time. Rest in peace.
May the peace which comes from the memories of love shared comfort you now and in the days ahead, and may you take comfort in knowing there is one more angel above us.
God bless you, Carole and Nick’s Grampa. He fought so hard and is finally at peace.
God bless you, Nick.
Devastating news. From the heights of hope to the depths of sorrow. Your family is in our thoughts. Just devastating.
Dear Carole and all of Nick’s family and friends,
I have followed Nick’s progress through his facebook page. My deepest sympathies to you all. I’m extremely upset to hear of another young person dying from leukaemia. I lost my husband four years ago to pre T-cell ALL. He was 35yo. My husband was also mixed race (Indian/British) so we were amazed to find a donor in Australia, literally on theother side of the world from us. He survived 6months after his transplant but like Nick, the leukaemia was very aggressive and came back. Although at the time, you believe the donor/transplant to be the miracle cure, sadly it isn’t always. But thank god for the amazingly generous people on the BM registers who give you that hope! You have all done the most fabulous job of raising awareness for the need of donors (transplant do work, especially in children). In your grief , you should also be very proud of yourselves, Nick would definately be.
thinking of you all in this very hard time
Adrienne Fulton
(Italy)
Dear Carole, Nick’s granddad, and family –
I offer my love and deepest sympathies for the journey ahead. God Bless you all. And Nick most of all, for making a most private and challenging journey a shared experience for the betterment of mixed blood donors transplants. A very sad ending. Very moving and this family stands up tall with dignitiy and honor fighting for Nick’s life. No words can suffice in this kind of tragedy. What a son you had, Carole! And that speaks volumes for the entire family. My prayers are with you.
Monica Carr
Carole…. my sympathies to you and your family. I have been following your story for quite some time and was saddened to hear the lastest news this past Monday in my local newspaper, and even more saddened when I had my first opportunity to visit the blog this morning…… Again, my deepest condolences to you…..Christine
Rest in Peace Nick
Despite never having met Nick, he’s had a significant impact on me. His passing is tragic, but I want to share how he’s changed my life and I’m sure the lives of many others. Not that it will help alleviate the pain, but I want Nicks’ family to know how his spirit will live on and how he’s had such a dramatic impact on people he’d never even met.
During his battle, our collective energy was focused on driving awareness and bringing new donors in to be included in the national registry. The term ‘SaveNick’ became a prominent tag to capture the conversation.
Like many others, I now turn my energy to ‘living for Nick’. I commit to doing something new everyday and ensuring that I don’t take any minute of this precious life for granted. I’ll work to expand my perspective on life, and will constantly keep the memory of Nick and his family at the forefront of my mind.
My sympathies go out to everyone Nick touched during his time with us, particularly to his family and friends. Please know that his memory lives on and he continues to serve as an inspiration far beyond those he knew personally.
Carole & family,
I have followed Nick’s story as many of us at EMC have, we all cheered when just a few weeks ago we learned that he was Cancer free. Then this morning many of us are heart broken to learn he has passed away. Nick gave a very brave fight and as many have already said his lasting legacy are the lives that may be saved thanks to the new bone marrow donors added to the national register.
All of you are in my prayers.
Dear Carol, Nick’s Grandpa and the rest of Nick’s family and friends,
You all have my deepest sympathies. My heart just feels broken into bits for all of you 😦
Nick did change the world. He did an amazing thing raising the level of awareness about the need for more mixed ethnicity people to join the marrow registry on a worldwide level. And I’m certain that of all the people who joined to help him, some will go on to help save others.
Which doesn’t take away the tremendous unfairness that someone so young, who was a good person and positive member of society should be dealt this terrible disease. Nor does it relieve the sadness that someone so young is now gone, that Carole must go on without him. He had to suffer through so much and he fought so hard, he should have made it. He should have had the chance to grow old and live his dreams… LIfe is so unfair. I never really knew just how much until my cousin got sick and I started meeting and reading about so many wonderful people who are forced to fight this fight..
Thank you so much for keeping us updated here on the blog. Being able to know how Nick was doing gave all of us the ability to get to know him better and learn more about his disease and the transplant process. Until one is aware of a problem, one can’t care. Once one cares, one can choose to change themselves and the world. Nick will be part of that change for many of us. He will continue changing the world for the better as we tell his story and encourage others to join the registry in his name.
I will continue to keep Nick in my thoughts and prayers.
To Carole & Family,
My eyes filled with tears of joy when Nick was told he was cancer-free and then filled with tears again when I read the Cancer had returned and now the tears are streaming down my cheeks reading that he has lost his battle with this dreadful disease. You see, I am also a mother whose 28 year-old daughter lost her battle with Lung Cancer this past March. Like Nick, she fought this disease with everything she had as she did not want to leave her 8 year old daughter behind nor her parents. She went through a very risky but successful surgery last Thanksgiving and in December she was told she was also Cancer-Free. It was short lived as the cancer soon returned and she too was sent home to Hospice Care.
I felt like I was reliving her story through Nick though I still believe in Miracles and prayed that he would be one of those miracles. I know exactly what you have been through and will go through. It is not easy but with family and friends and knowing that Nick is finally is no more pain and is at peace, will help you get through this difficult time.
I can’t say enough about how wonderful my friends at EMC were to me during my daughter’s illness. I am forever grateful.
Alan Jackson wrote a wonderful song called “Sissy’s Song” and I hang onto the words “…and she flew up to heaven on the wings of angel and she walks with Jesus and she smiles down upon us saying “Don’t Worry About Me”!!.
My heart goes out to you and your family and I pray that you find peace and comfort in the coming days. Hopefully Jodi & Nick will get to meet each other in Heaven!
While Nick is no longer physically with us, his memory will forever live on with all of the lives he touched, many he never knew, by sharing his story and sharing his world. To Carole, Nick’s family and friends, may you find comfort in the wonderful memories of Nick and strength in knowing that by sharing your story and encouraging people to join the bone marrow registry, others may find their miracle match from your efforts.
Wishing you peace, comfort, and strength,
Lynne
Carole,
Thank you for sharing your son with us. With all the tools we have it saddens me to see that we couldn’t help take away all this pain.
I’m grateful Nick is no longer in pain; the hole in our lives will never be filled.
Rest in peace Nick.
Carole, may his memories give you the strength you need during this difficutl time. My deepest sympathy for you and your family.
Carole and Family,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful man with us. I can offer no words of solace that will suffice now… nothing said can ease the pain.
My prayers are that you will eventually find comfort in KNOWING you fought a heroic battle to save your beautiful son and the knowledge that you have made such a difference in so many lives.
The memories will become treasures that endure through the anger, hurt and rage of your loss. His time of pain is done. 22 years and one month later, I find comfort in my memories of my wonderful oka-san who left me too early… this made your fight so personal.
Carole…my deepest sympathies go out to you and all of your family. Although I did not know Nick or his family, I heard of his battles through EMC. I, at the same time of finding out about Nick, was a Stem cell transplant perfect match donor for my sister battling AML. This all hits very close to home and my thoughts and prayers are with you all…..
Carole, your family touched many lives sharing Nick’s story. Perhaps one of us who signed up for the registry will save someone else’s life…His legacy will live on. With deepest sympathy
Carole, I am deeply saddened to hear of Nick’s passing, while I did not know you and your family my heart is breaking. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers and Nick is an inspiration to all of us. With love, thoughts and deepest sympanthy.
From a distance, I have followed the journey of hope, that Carole had for her son, Nick. You see, I too am a mother that went thru the same nightmare, as my precious daughter, at just age 18, passed from leukemia after an unsuccessful bone marrow transplant back in 2002. We carry a bond, that we wish on no other. Nick is finally free of cancer, and he is thankful for having you as his mother, by his side, guiding him thru his journey. I send to you my deepest condolences, and I will light a candle tonight in honor of your son, next to the one I light for my daughter Leah.
St. Paul said that, in the end, there was only faith, hope, and love..and the greatest of these is love.
Does that not say it all about Nick? He kept the faith, gave hope to so many who will be saved because of him, and inspired love in all of us.
Carole, none of us can begin to imagine your pain. I am so sorry. You were great. Your love has made a difference in the world. God bless you.
Goodbyes are not forever
And nor is it the end
When angels come to call away
A loved one or a friend.
The empty place that’s left behind
Within this world we know
Reminds us just how brief a stay
we have before we go.
So when it’s time to bid farewell
To one we’ll dearly miss
Let’s just say we’ll meet again
and promise them with this……
The true gift is that love remains
Although we now must part….
Until forever and beyond
I’ll keep you in my heart.
I first “met” Nick during the event called EMC World this year, and I was amazed at how many people were willing to make a difference for someone they didn’t even know. This even brought competitors in the business together to pursuit a single goal, to help save Nick.
Even though Nick didn’t know all the people who wanted to make a difference for him, and they didn’t know how, perhaps his family and loved ones can find some comfort in what Nick was able to do. He brought out the best in us as people, and that’s not something that is easy to do.
I’m not a religious person so I am sorry to say but I can’t find relief in prayer, but I heard these words in a German song and to me they fit quite well:
“And yes, of course the truth hurts!
Nobody is saying it’s easy
But at some point you’ve had enough
And then it’s time to go
And even if it was a great time,
Life is bigger
Than we understand.
Come and let it happen
And take this as your comfort.
Legends are born from things that end,
We spent a great deal of time together
But need to let go now.”
I know I will remember Nick and the difference people made for him, as well as the difference he made possible for other people. And I hope Carole and his loved ones can find some comfort in that thought.
I hope you are doing OK Nick, wherever you may be.
Nick was a wonderful friend and I will remember him always. He is one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. I can’t believe that he is gone, but I know how hard he fought. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from him. I can only take solace in the fact that he isn’t suffering any longer. He was so brave to endure it for so long. Carole, all my prayers are with you right now. Please let me know if there is anything at all that I can do for you.
You don’t know me, and I never had the chance to meet Nick…but I am here for anything you need. Feel free to call me 415 238 8428 – I want to keep Nick’s story going. He’s such a fighter and inspiration…we will pick up the ball and run with it for him.
Nick, may you finally rest in peace. You have left behind a legacy that will never be forgotten. I truly believe that many lives will be saved due to the awareness and boost in the registry in your name. You are the bravest person I know, next to your mom of course! 🙂 It has been an honor being your friend. Thank you for inspiring me to be a better person and to live this life to the fullest. I will miss seeing your smirky smile looking like you’re up to something and teasing you mercilessly. Thanks for being my friend.
Carole, I adore you. You are all I strive to be as a Mom. I’m hugging my kids extra tight tonight and sending you one too. You have been a pillar of strength and love. It says a lot when a 27 year old man (before he got sick) would proudly say that his Mom is his best friend. Your relationship was like none I’ve ever known. I love you and pray that God blesses you with His peace that passes all understanding. My heart is with you tonight and always. Xoxo