Social media has created this bizarre world where we feel like we know someone we maybe never even met. Or perhaps just met one time, as is the case with Kathleen McGee. I met her once almost ten years ago at an open mic in Calgary, Canada, when I had just started doing stand-up.
At that mic, Kathleen McGee was unforgettable. She stood out among everyone, a true G.O.A.T. Her closing joke stayed with me all these years, the kind of joke that grabs you by surprise and sends you into fits of laughter. It was about the areolae around the nipple being braille. I fell to the floor. That joke has come to mind so many times over the years, always drawing a smile.
Following Her Journey from Afar
After that night, I started following Kathleen on Facebook and watched her rise. She was a likeable person; you didn’t have to know her to see that. Her spirit shone through her posts and interactions.
Then, Kathleen got cancer. And yet, even in her most challenging days, she kept making people laugh. It was inspiring to see her resilience, using comedy to brighten the darkest moments. It made me think: that’s how I’d want to be if I ever found myself in a similarly tough situation. I want to go out laughing too.
A Final Farewell Full of Humor and Love
This morning, I woke up to the news of her passing. Kathleen had written a poem to announce her crossover, ending with an “open-hearted” question: “who farted?”
I found myself laughing and crying at the same time. Here was a person who had suffered greatly, yet she chose to leave the world with a joke. What a brilliant, brave soul. She will be missed by many, even by people like me who didn’t really know her personally.
Hello friends,
It's been a blast!
It's been the best
It's been the worst
In the future, present
For me now in the past.
I loved you all
...mostly all
But my love is undying
And to, my forgiveness
Even to those who had hurt me.
I know I fought some fights with vigor and passion
Those ones meant a lot to me because they involved you and yours
The ones that thought of me and cared to talk,
Not only on my brightest days
But on the ones, that were not
I'll miss you lots, and lots
And I know you will miss me too
So think of me often, but only happy thoughts.
It's time for me to go now.
Many questions have been answered, and many still not.
I leave you tonight with one more,
Question open-hearted,
"Who farted?"
Kathleen Eleanor McGee
April 5th 1981 - November 3rd 2024
A Reflection on Death, Laughter, and Legacy
As a society, we’ve made death into something purely tragic. And while it is undeniably sad to say goodbye, what if death isn’t the end? What if it’s the beginning of something greater? What if, wherever we go next, there’s even more laughter, more love, more light, and yes, more fart jokes?
We won’t know until it’s our turn. In the meantime, with the time we have, let’s learn from people like Kathleen McGee: laugh a little louder, love a little harder, and appreciate the jokes that remind us not to take life too seriously.
Rest in power, Kathleen McGee. Thanks for the laughs.
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