Top NHL prospect reveals his girlfriend is battling stage 4 cancer with heartbreaking hospital photo: ‘No-one deserves to go through this’
NHL prospect Austin Roest shared a heart-wrenching message after his girlfriend’s devastating cancer diagnosis.
The 22-year-old hockey player’s girlfriend, Milly Okabe, 22, has been diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma – a type of cancer that starts in the gland cells that line the inside of organs.
Roest, who was drafted by the Nashville Predators, shared the tragic news with his followers on Instagram, posting a message of support for Okabe.
‘Milly, I don’t even know what to say,’ Roest wrote. ‘I am so sorry this is happening to you. No one deserves to go through this.
‘That being said, I have no doubt in my mind you will beat cancer. You are the strongest person I know and I know you will overcome everything that comes your way over the next year. I love you so much and I will be right there with you through all of this.’
The right wing shared two pictures from Okabe’s hospital bed, one showing him lying alongside her.
Austin Roest shared a heart-wrenching message after his girlfriend’s cancer diagnosis
The NHL prospect’s girlfriend, Milly Okabe has been diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma
He also revealed that a GoFundMe page has been set up to support Okabe and her family through the difficult time.
The fundraiser, set up by a friend of Okabe’s, said that ‘she and her loved ones are now facing a journey no one could ever be prepared for.’
‘Milara is so much more than her diagnosis,’ a statement on the page read. ‘She is a kind, strong and selfless person who means so much to everyone around her.
‘Skating has always been a huge part of Milara’s life. After spending years as a high-level skater herself, she now loves being able to share that passion by teaching kids how to skate. Outside of the rink, she is constantly with the people she loves the most – her friends and family, as well as simply having the most fun in everything she does.
‘As Milara goes through treatment, her family is doing everything possible to remain by her side. Along with the emotional weight of her diagnosis, she is now facing time away from work, travel and accommodation costs, medications, fertility preservation, and many other unexpected expenses.
‘Our hope is to surround Milara and her family with the same love and support they have always shown the people around them. By easing some of the financial pressure, we hope they can focus their energy on what matters most right now Milara’s care, well-being, and spending time together as a family.’
Okabe shared a social media post of her own last week revealing her diagnosis to her followers and friends.
‘There’s a lot of fear of the unknown, but what I do know is that I am extremely lucky in this life to have friends that are family, and a family that loves me this hard,’ she wrote.
The right wing shared two pictures from Okabe’s hospital bed in an emotional Instagram post
Roest was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft
She added: ‘Thank you to everyone who has supported me in any way. I’m so extremely grateful.’
Roest and Okabe appear to have been dating for over three years with the hockey player sharing a post celebrating their one-year anniversary in June 2024.
The British Columbia native was drafted by the Predators in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft.
He split last season between the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals and the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators – both affiliates of the Predators.
