American Idol Winner Puts on Brave Face at Race

On May 3rd, the day after David Cook's brother Adam lost his decade-long fight with cancer, the American Idol winner spoke to crowds standing in the rain at Washington D.C.'s annual Race for Hope 5K, courageously representing those affected by the disease.

Serving as grand marshal, David spoke eloquently and briefly as he revealed his personal tragedy:

"I actually lost my brother yesterday to a brain tumor and I couldn't imagine being anywhere else right now."

Adam, 36, a married father, was often spotlighted in the American Idol audience. As Adam's battle intensified, 26-year-old Cook canceled shows in order to spend time with his ailing brother.

Cook's fund-raising team raised more than $98,000 (with Sunday's race bringing in approximately $2 million) benefiting the National Brain Tumor Society and Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure.

And while he would have been completely justified in spending the weekend in quiet mourning, David spent the day hugging survivors and mingling with those empathetic to his pain.

Our condolences, David. Thank you for your courage in the face of personal tragedy.

Nadine Bells, Pop Goes The Culture
		About the author:
		A seasoned Toronto-based writer, Nadine has scattered her musings on entertainment and lifestyle throughout cyberspace. With a post-grad in TV Writing and Producing (she grew up without cable and had to compensate by embracing a television addiction later in life), she offers pop-culture fixes and celebrity scoops exclusive to WOMAN.ca. Her non-writing life features late nights at the piano, eavesdropping at the gym, reenacting scenes from Top Chef in her tiny kitchen, and other quarter-life adventures.
	Read More >>