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Colon cancer warrior Patrick Beauregard laid to rest

CHATHAM, Mass. — A loving wife, 2-month old son, and countless friends and family are remembering the life of Patrick Beauregard.

The 32-year-old Beauregard, who battled colon cancer, was honored in a private service on Friday at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Chatham.

“I think being positive is the only way you can get through a situation like this," Beauregard earlier told Boston 25 News in his first interview with the news station in March 2019.

It’s that positivity that defined the life, even in the face of a devastating diagnosis that eventually took his life.

Beauregard was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer one month after he married his college sweetheart Amanda in 2017.

“I’ve never felt such a crushing weight come upon me when I was told at age 29 you have Stage 4 colon cancer,” Beauregard said.

Pat and Amanda developed a mantra to fight the cancer: “Pray, Hope, Don’t Worry.”

A Marine Corp veteran, Pat used that mantra to soldier through multiple surgeries, immunotherapies, and 40 rounds of chemotherapy. He spent the last few years advocating for awareness of the growing cases of colorectal cancer in young adults.

When we last spoke with the Beauregards in April of this year, they were trying to navigate cancer treatment in the middle of a global pandemic.

MORE: Cancer patients feel isolated during pandemic quarantine

Pat was forced to go through treatment alone when he received news his clinical trial wasn’t working.

“Probably, if not one of the toughest appointments that both of us had to endure. Just to do it like that, Amanda was on the phone, it’s not exactly the same,” he said.

We also learned the Beauregards were expecting a baby.

“The thought and anticipation of having our baby boy in July is all I really need to stay motivated,” Pat said.

On July 10, Noah Patrick Beauregard was born. It was a bittersweet day because Pat had just learned the cancer had metastasized in his brain and underwent emergency neurosurgery to remove some of the masses.

After he recovered from surgery, he was finally able to hold his baby boy. Unfortunately the cancer continued to spread and Pat decided to discontinue treatment.

“Even in his final days with tumors pressing against his airways made it so he was so short of breath, he could no longer climb stairs, he’d say to me ‘I’m alive, I’m still here. I lived another day. It wasn’t a great day and I didn’t feel good. But I’m here and that’s all that matters,’" said his wife, Amanda Beauregard, during his eulogy.

On Friday, Patrick Beauregard was laid to rest. He died surrounded by family in his final moments holding Amanda and Noah’s hand.

His legacy will be of courage, grace, and positivity.

“Cancer took most of Pat’s body, but it never touched his loving soul and kind spirit," said Amanda. “I will never love anyone as much as I loved Pat, and I will miss him every single day.”

Pat was heavily involved in promoting early screening, even meeting with members of Congress in Washington D.C. to advocate for funds to help fight colorectal cancer.

Amanda hopes his death will bring more awareness about early onset colorectal cancer and that his enduring message will save many more lives.

They’ve already raised over $37,000 dollars for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

A GoFundMe has been created to help the family.

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