Golden Years Doug: Our Friend Till The End

While we can go on and on about many of the great people we've met over the years, I think it's safe to say that one individual really stands out - his name is Doug Kimball. You may know him as Golden Years Doug. Doug is the man who called into our show on a random September morning and offered some valuable perspective and he's become a very good friend. Our friend to the end.

That morning he taught us a thing or two about life and how to live it. At the time of the phone call, Doug was nearing the end of a diagnosis that had given him 18 months to live. His phone call put life in perspective. It was from the heart. It was real. It was emotional. It taught us how we shouldn't wait until our 'golden years' to settle into the lives we want to live, but instead, live them now.

Since that phone call aired, all of us here at GNA have become fast friends with him. We've had dinner together, spent hours on the phone, visited him in the hospital, laughed with him, cried with and stayed in touch with his daily struggles through social media. Doug and his wife Dawn have also been special guests at various GNA events like our Secret Star shows. Doug is fighting like hell every single day to continue to outlast the lung disease diagnosis he received two years ago. And while he's beaten those odds thus far, new struggles have emerged. He was recently diagnosed with lung cancer meaning more struggle, more pain, and more doctors bills.

The thing that is most amazing about Golden Years Doug is that - like anyone else - he gets mad, frustrated, angry and depressed. But he has never lost his perspective on life and love. He cherishes each day and fights like a son of a gun to see one more. And another. And then another. Each day is a struggle. There's nothing particularly 'golden' about the day-in and day-out life he lives, except one thing. He still has life.

Doug has a bucket list of things he wants to do before the disease he's diagnosed with eventually gets the best of him. He is also struggling with an insane amount of medial bills and as a result, a GoFundMe has been set up by the family on his behalf.

Sharing our lives with you is one of the great honors we get as radio personalities. Sharing your life with us is an even bigger honor. In a short amount of time, Golden Years Doug has taken a very active interest in my life. He's friendly with my girlfriend Samantha, he's met my son, he's coached me on being a better father, has been a huge supporter of GNA, and an inspiration to many listeners who perhaps haven't even met him. When we talk on the phone or hang out in person, he always ends it by selflessly saying something like 'Ok, I'll let you go. You need to go play ball or eat some food with that son of yours'. It always makes me emotional. I often fight back tears.

He called in one September morning with a message in hopes to inspire us. He never asked for help, but he needs some. A good man with a powerful message trying to preserve his precious golden life.

Filed Under: Brian and Chrissy, Doug Kimball, gofundme, golden years doug, wgna

Categories: Brian & Chrissy In the Morning, Inspire, News