Local mother whose dying wish came true passes away
EASTLAKE, Ohio (WJW) – A local mother whose dying wish came true — to see her daughter graduate before it was too late — has sadly passed away.
Cathy Bucy was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma on Dec. 1, 2023. According to her husband Doug Bucy, the cancer grew rapidly and doctors were not able to do any more for her. Doug Bucy informed Fox 8 she passed away Saturday morning.
After Cathy’s diagnosis, she still had things she wanted to see before it was too late. Her family shared the story with Fox 8 last week.
During her fight with cancer, Cathy’s family members had three wishes for their beloved mother and wife to be a part of.
“Two of them are no longer able to be completed. She wanted to watch our children play ball one more time from the field,” Doug told FOX 8 News.
Doug and Cathy’s son Trent will be heading to Florida soon with the Baldwin Wallace baseball team, while their daughter Katie will be playing her last high school spring break softball games in Myrtle Beach at the end of March.
After a 14-day hospital stay, Cathy came home last week.
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“We have very precious time [with Cathy] while hospice keeps her comfortable,” Doug said last week.
Cathy Bucy and family
Cathy’s family decided to call Willoughby-Eastlake’s North High School to see if they could make the third and final wish come true.
North High School Principal Eric Frei and coach Paul Force jumped into action for the family and gave Cathy the chance to see her daughter graduate inside her home.
“For our family, this was one of the most special nights of our lives,” Doug said. “We cannot explain how meaningful this was to us.”
Frei gave a heartwarming speech, saying in part, “As we gather today to celebrate the graduation of Katie Bucy, I cannot help but be reminded of a simple yet irrefutable truth. The most important thing in life, the thing that keeps us going, the thing that gives us purpose, is the quality of the relationships we hold dear.”
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Cathy and Doug were married for 26 years, according to Cathy’s CaringBridge website, where her family told her story.
“Cathy, to many, is special, to her family, she is irreplaceable,” the page reads, in part. “Cathy could not be more proud of her kids and has enjoyed watching them play sports over the years. Her favorite quote since we found out the devastating news is, KEEP MOVING FORWARD!”
“Keep moving forward” has become the family’s motto since Cathy was diagnosed. To learn more about Cathy’s battle, click here.
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