Not only has Bob Joers been an incredible father to his three children, but his kindness and generosity have also left a lasting impression on countless people throughout his community. When Bob passed away from pancreatic cancer in May 2020, the town of Middleton, Wisconsin, was left with a hole that could never truly be filled.
After all Bob has done for the community, and for Mattie, she knew she wanted to do something to honor her dad and make him proud. Having already raised close to $10,000, Mattie will join the Project Purple Run Team in the Chicago Marathon on October 11th to raise funds for pancreatic cancer research and pay tribute to her dad.
To support Mattie’s fundraising efforts, click here to donate to her fundraising page.
The Kind of Dad Everyone Loved
Mattie characterizes Bob as outgoing, humble, and a great dad.
“There was nothing bad about him,” Mattie said. “He was the best dad.”
Mattie remembers her dad as someone who wanted to be everyone’s friend and never made anyone feel like they were anything less than enough. He constantly reminded Mattie and her siblings how proud he was of them and never missed an opportunity to tell them he loved them.
One of Mattie’s favorite things about her dad was that he never took life too seriously. Even in the final stages of his battle with pancreatic cancer, he made it a point to joke around, laugh with those he loved, and make the most of every moment. His outlook on life continues to shape Mattie today. Whenever she faces a challenge or simply needs guidance, she thinks to herself, what would my dad say?
“There aren’t enough great things I can say about him,” Mattie said. “I can’t encapsulate how wonderful he was.”
Bob’s personality lives on in each member of his family in a different way. He shared a deep love with his wife, athleticism and leadership with Mattie’s brothers, and with Mattie, he shared a larger-than-life personality. She would even describe herself as the girl version of him. They are both loud, funny, and always go out of their way to make sure everyone is okay. Carrying those qualities forward is one of the many ways Mattie keeps his memory alive.
Bob also played a central role in the community of Middleton, where he lived for nearly 30 years. Throughout his time, he wore many hats, including youth swim coach, high school swim coach, athletic director, and owner of the town’s recreational gymnastics facility.
Throughout each of these roles, Bob made a lasting impact on countless children, students, parents, and community members. For many students, Bob was a constant presence throughout their childhood, starting from when they were kids at the gym, to then being his students in high school. Bob was even the driving force for the new pool that was built in their town, later having it named after him.
When Everything Changed
Bob had always been healthy, rarely even catching the common cold. So when he developed a persistent cough that wouldn’t go away, he began wondering if something was wrong. After spending time at a family friend’s lake house in July of 2019, the cough became impossible to ignore, drawing attention to those around him. By the end of the trip, Bob decided he should see a doctor.
Throughout the gym facility they owned, Bob and his wife knew someone who worked in oncology. That connection provided them with guidance early in the process, and they were told there was a reason to believe Bob’s symptoms pointed to pancreatic cancer.
At the time, Mattie didn’t realize the seriousness of what was happening. Her parents chose to keep parts to themselves until they felt it was the right time to share them with their children. Everything changed when Mattie was stopped at the grocery store by one of her teachers, who asked if her dad was okay, catching her off guard.
“I remember thinking, maybe something is going on that I’m not totally grasping,” Mattie said.
By October of 2020, the day before Halloween, Mattie received the news she had been fearing: Bob had pancreatic cancer. After weeks of uncertainty and doctor’s appointments, the diagnosis became a reality, forever changing the lives of everyone who loved him. Not long after, Bob shared the news during a coaches’ meeting, and support started flooding in. The same people whose lives Bob had touched over the years were now rallying around him and his family.
At the time of his diagnosis, Bob and his family were told that without treatment, he would likely have around 6 months to live. Bob didn’t like the sound of that, so they started chemo immediately in November.
“I’m not done yet,” Mattie’s mom recalled Bob saying when he first got diagnosed.
At the time, his cancer had not yet been staged and was still considered operable. The hope was that chemo would shrink the tumors so he could undergo Whipple surgery, which would potentially give him another 2-3 years.
However, the progression of Bob’s cancer moved faster than anyone expected. In March of 2020, while they were in Florida, they received the news that his cancer had spread.
When April rolled around, the COVID pandemic was at its peak, and Bob was spending much of his time going in and out of the hospital. By the end of the month, he had entered hospice care. Although the circumstances were very difficult, quarantine gave the Joers’ family something they otherwise may not have had: the opportunity to spend so much time together. They had every night to spend together and cherish the time left they had with Bob.
“It was bittersweet,” Mattie said. “It brought us all closer.”
That closeness was especially felt on April 29th, Bob and his wife’s wedding anniversary. Wanting to do something to make it extra special despite the challenges of the pandemic, their family and community came together with an incredible car parade.
Although the weather was rainy and Bob was not feeling well enough to spend much time outside, the day turned out to be just what they needed. From his window, Bob was able to wave as hundreds of people drove by to show their love and support to the Joers’ family.
More than 300 cars filled with family, friends, loved ones, and community members lined the street. People were hanging out of cars, holding signs, cheering, and showing Bob how much he meant to all of them. It was not the celebration they originally intended, but it became a moment their family will always cherish.
Finding Her Way Through Running
The Chicago Marathon is not the first on Mattie’s list, as she had already completed the Madison Marathon, along with a Half Iron Man in 2024. At the time, she did not do much to prepare, but this time, she is looking forward to being ready when race day comes and taking the time to train.
Growing up, Mattie was never a serious runner, although she did consider herself and her family athletic as she played softball, and her brothers ran track. She didn’t run when Bob was sick, but when she was in college, she started running for fun to stay in shape.
Before taking on marathons, Mattie first turned to triathlons because her dad had competed in them. It became a way for her to feel connected to him and keep his memory close.
“When I am in races and running, I envision him running with me,” Mattie said.
As race day approaches, Mattie looks forward to the energy the day will hold, excited to see everyone happy and cheering her on. Mattie thinks that running with Project Purple adds more meaning and passion, and everyone appreciates that. She is expecting to see her aunt and uncle on the sidelines supporting her, along with other friends and family who have been by her side this whole journey.
“That’s the thing that gets me through the races,” Mattie said. “You just look for the next person that’s there cheering you on.”
Why Project Purple
Mattie knew she wanted to run the Chicago Marathon, and she knew she wanted to do it with a charity. It was just a matter of which. Mattie turned to the internet and researched possible charities she could partner with when she discovered Project Purple.
“So I was going to do the American Cancer Society or something related to cancer research and raising money around that,” Mattie shared. “When I was looking, I saw that there was one specifically for pancreatic cancer, which is what my dad passed away from. So I thought that was perfect.”
Running as a team means so much more to Mattie than running on her own.
“It’s nice to know that there are other people also fundraising for this,” Mattie said. “I like that we have a team goal.”
From the start, she thought she could beat the fundraising minimum, but her community blew it out of the water.
Being a part of the Run Teams allowed her to learn about unexpected connections she shared through Project Purple. She was able to see all the support surrounding pancreatic cancer research really make an impact.
“There is a lot of exciting research that’s been going on and a lot of progress, so it makes this cause feel that much more important,” Mattie shared.
Mattie is optimistic about the future of pancreatic cancer research and early detection. She hopes to see the scope of what researchers are currently targeting broaden to open more doors for more people. Pancreatic cancer runs in her family, as her grandma, Bob’s mom, also passed away from it.
“I want there to be a way that I would never have to go through that again with my brothers or have my brothers watching me,” Mattie said. “I can’t even imagine that.”
For Dad, and the Future
If Bob were here, he would be incredibly proud of Mattie, not only for the funds and awareness she has raised or for completing the marathon, but for the strength and grace she has shown in the years since his passing while continuing to honor his memory.
“I just think he would think it’s super cool,” Mattie said. “I think he would think it’s awesome that I’m doing it.”
Mattie also believes he would be touched by the generosity of people this long after he has passed, still donating and writing nice comments in his tribute. Although he passed six years ago, to this day, members of the community still approach Mattie with kind words and memories of him.
“I honestly feel like I’m not doing enough,” Mattie shared. “I wish I could do more, I want to do more, and I hope there’s more opportunity for me in the future.”
Mattie has a background in nursing and would love to do something that is driven by pancreatic cancer, and would love for others to try and get as involved as they can.
“I hope people feel inspired and that they can do something that their community would back them for,” Mattie said. “If you put your mind to it, anyone can do it.”
If you’d like to run or participate in an event of your own for Project Purple, visit our events page.
