Paul's story reminds us that cancer affects the entire family, in every way, not just the person physically battling the disease. Iron Dad is a powerful testament to resilience, courage, and the unbreakable bond between father and child. His ongoing determination and desire to live a great life despite the disease truly reflects what it means to Livestrong.
Paul Weigel’s life always felt hard. After spending his childhood isolated with distant and detached parents, losing his college sweetheart in a horrible tragedy, and the unexpected death of his father, he spent his life in despair. It all just hurt.
Everything changed when his daughter, Natalie was born.
From day one, Weigel and Natalie shared an incredible bond. She was a constant source of peace and inspiration to him, and he was determined to give her the love and security he’d never had. His life and the family that he dreamed about seemed to be finally getting on track—that is until a devastating cancer diagnosis threatened that future.
But this time around, Weigel chose hope. If you believe in the impossible, he told himself, the incredible can come true. Using this mantra, Weigel pushed forward, determined to show his daughter true strength and power—facing his illness’ and treatment’s ups and downs with courage, training and completing an Ironman triathlon within six months of finishing chemotherapy, and continuing his dedication as a loyal father.
In Iron Dad, Weigel celebrates the unique bond between fathers and daughters and shares an inspiring story of finding and clinging to the joy in life, no matter the odds.
Still cancer-free ten years later, he wrote Iron Dad to share his story with others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Paul had symptoms for many years and was 43 when he was finally diagnosed in 2013.
Paul’s tumor was the size of a man’s fist at the junction of his rectum and colon, leaving him 100% blocked. Many lymph nodes were also affected, and as a result he was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer.
Paul’s treatment included oral chemotherapy and radiation, surgery, and then six months of IV chemotherapy.
Paul did his best to push through his cancer treatment and continue training for Ironman Whistler. He swam, biked, and ran through it all, even finishing a half-marathon during his last round of chemotherapy.
Paul had several false-positives, polyps, and areas of concern that his doctors continued to evaluate. He finally was determined to be declared cancer free nine years after his initial diagnosis, and now lives in Tempe, Arizona.
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance has great resources that you can find here: https://colorectalcancer.org/screening-quiz