Obituary

It is with profound and utter sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved son and brother, Christopher Daniel McCabe. Chris passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in the early morning hours of Saturday, May 21 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, of complications arising from Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He is predeceased by his grandparents, Mary and Robert McCabe; his grandfather, Cos Schiebel; and his brother, Stuart McCabe. Chris will be remembered forever by his parents, Beth and Tim McCabe; his brother and best friend, Ian McCabe; his sister-in-law, Gabrielle Langsford; Aunt Carolyn and Uncle John Cybulski; Aunt Paula and Uncle Martin Keogh; and his grandmother, Mary Schiebel, along with a legion of friends across Ontario and beyond. Chris was born in Hamilton on March 19, 1999, but spent his entire life in Fergus until he left to attend Carleton University in Ottawa. Along the way, he had a truly dizzying variety of experiences. As a young athlete, he tried every sport available, including hockey, roller hockey, hardball, softball, football, lacrosse, rugby, tennis, yoga, and ultimate frisbee. He settled on baseball in all its various forms as his sport of choice and was so thrilled to have played his first softball games in three years this season. Going to the Blue Jays Winterfest with Ian every year was always a highlight for him. His hockey experiences led him first to timekeeping and then to refereeing, in both Fergus and Ottawa. Chris was an Air Cadet with the 121 Red Arrows Squadron in Guelph for many years, an experience that truly helped to shape the fine young man he became. Through the Cadets, he had the opportunity to develop many skills, including leadership opportunities at Cadet camps. While attending St. James High School in Guelph, he participated in everything from band to drama to sports to service, including a mission trip to Guatemala. He was an altar server at St. Joseph Parish from Grade 4 until he left for university. At Carleton, Chris continued his service, becoming a residence fellow in his second year and participating in an environmental trip to Banff. Chris took his leadership duties very seriously, and always tried to provide an example for others to follow while having fun at the same time. It is truly noteworthy that Chris continued his studies during his battle with cancer and pulled off two A-s and a B+ this semester! Chris enjoyed travelling and had the opportunity to visit a wide variety of destinations throughout North America through family, school, and Cadet trips. He was looking forward to a once-in-a-lifetime cruise to Antarctica this coming February with Dad and Ian. Chris was a true renaissance man, with a host of varied interests. He could give you a movie quote to match any situation, even when you didn’t know you were in a situation that needed a movie quote. He loved the rain, canoeing, music, tattoos, and conspiracy theories (birds aren’t real!). He preferred his music on vinyl, was a master of Final Jeopardy, and became an explorer of all world theologies. He was the keeper of trivial facts, a collector of hoodies, and a true admirer of plants, which he found to be amazing in their variety, adaptations, uses, and beauty. Chris had no problem expressing his feelings. He was always quick with a hug and was never shy about saying, “I love you.” In March of 2021, Chris was diagnosed with an aggressive strain of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Despite this devastating diagnosis and a less than positive prognosis, Chris faced this battle with courage and grace. Through countless rounds of chemo, a failed stem cell transplant, thousands of pills, innumerable blood transfusions, and a variety of clinical trials, he remained hopeful and determined to beat the cancer. He was so grateful to his very good friends who supported him from the beginning. He was preparing to start a new treatment when complications finally became more than he could fight. Chris died peacefully without knowing that the battle was finally over. We are very grateful to the oncology departments at Ottawa General, St. Mary’s in Kitchener, Juravinski in Hamilton, Princess Margaret in Toronto, and Groves Memorial in Fergus. We would like to thank the knowledgeable and caring doctors, nurses, and especially the nurse practitioners who cared for Chris throughout his cancer journey. They supported him in so many different ways and gave us fourteen extra months with our boy that we may not have otherwise had. We would also like to thank the kind doctors and nurses who cared for Chris in his last hours at Mount Sinai. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Graham Giddy Funeral Home in Fergus. Memorial donations may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada or to Canadian Blood Services. Chris would also encourage you to give blood and to plant something beautiful in his memory.