From reading your comments, I know that a lot of you were touched by Doug Blasdell as was I. It’s weird but wonderful that Doug inspired such trust and faith in many people. He was obviously a rare and beautiful human being. The world is a bit sadder without him in it.

Watching Work Out last night, I was disappointed. Again, the show glossed over the significance of Doug’s life and his impending demise. I know Doug wanted to keep his illness a secret. However, the way the show gives it very little attention is upsetting. Poor Peeler! I wanted to give him a big hug. You could tell he was devastated after getting the call that Doug had taken a horrible turn for the worse, but…

…we were still given told no real information about what was wrong with Doug so far. I know the trainers didn’t receive this from Doug. In fact, Mr. Blasdell was very private about his illness. Peeler tells AfterElton.com that, “Doug asked me to keep it private when he was sick. He didn’t want anybody knowing he had cancer and chemo. He was just trying to stay as healthy looking as he could, and he didn’t want anybody to feel bad for him.”

Brian Peeler also provides insight into Doug’s illness. In his blog, he sets the record straight:

“Doug had lymphoma, which is cancer. I think I may have spelled that wrong. He was under going chemo to get it under control. He then got salmonella poisoning which was after his b-day. This would ultimately shut his kidneys down.

While he was in the hospital undergoing dialysis he got a staph infection from the stent in his neck. This would kill his liver and other organs. He had asked me to keep it quiet. So the rest of the staff didn't find out until it was too late.”

Although Peeler couldn’t be with him when he passed, Doug was surrounded by friends. Unfortunately, he “knew he was going to die. It’s painful to know and to think like that. All he wanted to do was live to be 44. To know he outlived his parents. He had such a drive to make it to that age. To beat them out, beat the odds, and live just a little bit longer.” This makes the episode with Doug’s birthday this season even more poignant, doesn’t it?

Peeler also says that he was the one who told the trainers. In fact, he called them individually. The most important thing Brian would like the world to remember about his friend is that “His presence was ungodly. He was everything that every man on the face of this earth should want to be as a human being.”

This clip shows Doug talking about his upcoming birthday and some of his interactions with both Peeler and Cheo: