RIP Dikembe Mutombo

[Melancer46]

Rest in peace big fella. Always seemed like a great human on top of a great basketball player. One of the few NBA players my wife would recognize just because of the awesome (Geico?) commercial he had.

Have to copy over a hilarious story I came across on my Milwaukee Bucks forum:

My wife used to work in the same office building as him and ran into him once in a while. She said he was the nicest. She's only 5-feet tall - once they were in the elevator together and she looked at him and said, "You make me feel short." He replied, "You make me feel tall."

When he left the elevator, he turned around and told her to always eat her vegetables.

 

[two3zone]

Certain types of cancer (e.g. pancreatic) are still a virtual death sentence, but huge improvements have been made in others. Things like prostate cancer, breast cancer, melanoma and leukemia have significantly higher survival rates than a generation ago. Obviously a lot of work still to be done.

My little sister was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2015, she's been powering through for almost a decade. There have been amazing advances and clinical trials keeping people alive until there are even more advances. Progress is being made.

 

[Eric15]

Obviously not trying to take attention away from Dikembe, but here's a nice visual that shows the progress with various forms of cancer survival.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Celebs dropping like flies over the past week.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Best memory of Mutombo wasn't at GTown, but with 8th-seed Denver Nuggets pulling off the massive upset (first time it ever happened), over the "1-seed Gary Payton/Shawn Kemp Seattle Supersonics, and Mutombo grabbing the final rebound, laying on the floor w/ the ball gripped in his hands, and the biggest smile I've ever seen on a human being.
"Mount Mutombo"!

RIP, Big Fella!

 

[Day2]

The Association should retire his number.

 

[two3zone]

Best memory of Mutombo wasn't at GTown, but with 8th-seed Denver Nuggets pulling off the massive upset (first time it ever happened), over the "1-seed Gary Payton/Shawn Kemp Seattle Supersonics, and Mutombo grabbing the final rebound, laying on the floor w/ the ball gripped in his hands, and the biggest smile I've ever seen on a human being.
"Mount Mutombo"!

RIP, Big Fella!

One of the most memorable playoff moments ever.

 

[RandygoCuse]

The Association should retire his number.

I think NBA Africa should name the MVP Trophy after him.

 

[swish7]

A HS bud was a rower at Georgetown. His dorm or club was near the basketball players facilities. He used to joke how Mourning & Mutombo would call each other's names, loudly, all day long. It sounded pretty funny. RIP Dikembe

 

[JKinPhilly]

RIP Dikembe

I ran into him several years ago at a Wawa in the Philly burbs - he was an absolute giant of a man. And this coming from a guy who's 6'6" - it's rare that I feel so small next to someone.

 

[Crusty]

RIP big man.

 

[sufandu]

One of my favorites once he left Georgetown. Sad to see him go. My favorite memory involving him is Stevie Thompson taking it right at him elevating and floating a shot just over his outstretched hand.

The Nuggets one is second.

 

[kirbivore]

I hated Mourning, never hated Mutombo

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I hated Mourning, never hated Mutombo

 

[Oakland]

Billions spent every year (for decades) on cancer research but not much to show...such a mysterious and deadly disease.

Lots and lots of progress has been made in the last 30 years. There is not much mystery to cancer any more. One problem is that cancer cells are derived from your cells - they are a malignant form of you! The second problem is that cancer is the result of many factors, e.g. p53 mutations is an important one but one of many, and just because we understand most of these factors doesn’t mean we can deliver a suitable treatment for every cancer.

If society really wanted to limit cancer, it would need to much better control the chemicals that we are exposed to - but that would involve some sacrifices.

 

[orangefog]

Lots and lots of progress has been made in the last 30 years. There is not much mystery to cancer any more. One problem is that cancer cells are derived from your cells - they are a malignant form of you! The second problem is that cancer is the result of many factors, e.g. p53 mutations is an important one but one of many, and just because we understand most of these factors doesn’t mean we can deliver a suitable treatment for every cancer.

If society really wanted to limit cancer, it would need to much better control the chemicals that we are exposed to - but that would involve some sacrifices.

Are we talking human or animal sacrifices? I assume you mean animal, like goat, in to a volcano. I'm for it, but we'll have to fight the ASPCA.

 

[sufandu]

Are we talking human or animal sacrifices? I assume you mean animal, like goat, in to a volcano. I'm for it, but we'll have to fight the ASPCA.

I don't know. There are some humans I would rather use. Then again, I'm not sure those would qualify as sacrifices.

 

[M2MPrinciples]

Hopefully there will be no shortage of people in heaven who want to sex him.

 

[two3zone]

Hopefully there will be no shortage of people in heaven who want to sex him.

 

[two3zone]

 

[pfister1]

Where is the SAD )-: emoji?

An obviously great basketball player and by all accounts a great person. It was fun back in the day watching John Thompson trying to teach basketball and how to get up and down the court without tripping over this own sneakers "athleticism" to him......