The heavy rains may have moved the 19th annual South Windsor/Rockville Relay For Life indoors to South Windsor High.
But spirits were high for the 1,300 participants on 77 teams and the opening Survivor's Speech by Mike Gauthier was no less moving.
Gauthier, a 10-year survivor of cancer of the kidney, spoke powerfully of the love of his life - his wife - as well as the friends and family who have helped see him through difficult times.
Gauthier, who will be 50 this year, said that he was celebrating his 10th birthday. On May 12, 2003, the had surgery to remove his cancerous kidney, which was the size of a football.
He implored people not to ignore the signs - Gauthier said he had, among other things, swollen ankles, fatigue, back pain and, finally, blood in his urine - before it's too late.
When he first heard that he had cancer, Gauthier said he thought his life would never be the same again, and that he would not see his young son graduate from high school.
Thankfully, only one of those things came to fruition, as he saw his son graduate. Gauthier has also taken part in numerous Relays For Life.
"I am a survivor," Gauthier said. "And a darn lucky one at that. ... [Cancer] has changed me. And I wouldn't trade it for anything."
So far, the event has raised over $125,000 this year, making it one of the top 25 Relays in New England.
In his remarks to the crowd, Mayor Tom Delnicki first commented on how nice it was for South Windsor and Rockville to put aside its rivalry for a common cause.
In addition, Delnicki summed up the mood of the evening.
"Let's kick cancer's butt," he said.
Relay For Life is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. It's a 24-hour event that will end at 3 p.m. Saturday.
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