Sax: Meg's Angel

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Each year, Team Avanti rides the PMC to honor cancer survivors, thrivers and angels. Here's the first share from a friend. We look forward to hearing from you about the special people in your life who have been touched by cancer.

Jim Cummings-Saxton, a.k.a. "Sax." Sax was my boss when I first entered the world of Environmental Consulting. He had come to environmental consulting out of pure conviction, via NASA and consulting to Harley Davidson. He was a 6'5" piece of work ... and on one of our first commutes to DC together, we figured out that he was a class ahead of my dad at Mt. Lebanon High School in Pittsburgh, PA. I love the small world thing, but it only got smaller! He handed me a doozy of a client at the EPA, apologizing profusely b/c the guy had a reputation for being "challenging." I was brand new to consulting and nervous as all get out ... but I jumped in feet first w/ my first conference call, and discovered that my client was a big sailor (I have sailed all my life) and had been my brother's economics professor in college (not a great outcome there, but hey, it was a connection). The client and I became a good team and Sax was happy. Sax had another problem. He was short-staffed. So he bucked company procedure and staffed his project w/ associates (as opposed to senior associates). We loved Sax and we cranked. EPA was happy and we travelled the country preaching the "cleaner, cheaper, smarter" mantra for EPA. Trying desperately to merge the private and public sides of environmental protection.

I went through two maternity leaves w/ Sax and threatened to leave each time. But I always came back. When I did finally leave the firm, I stayed in touch. A few years later, our youngest was born w/ some medical complications and I decided to stay home. Shortly after, Sax became sick w/ a brain tumor. I was stunned. I had two friends whose daughters were diagnosed w/ brain tumors. I felt completely helpless and began to take Sax to some of his treatments at Mass General. Afterward, he and my 1 1/2 year-old and I would have lunch. He was changed by his cancer and his treatment, but he was still my dear dear Sax. Those trips were so logistically difficult to pull off, but they were worth every mile.

When Sax became too sick, he went into Hospice. Those visits were even harder. My "challenging" EPA client tracked me down and asked if I would help him visit Sax one last time. There were still a few things he wanted to talk over w/ Sax. I picked the client up at Logan and drove him to the hospital. Sax had just stopped talking the night before, so we just sat there and held his hands for an hour or so. Then I drove the client back to Logan and we said our goodbyes.

A few days later, Sax left us. His memorial service was in a packed-to-the-gills stone church on a hilltop in Nahant. It was November, and it was honking windy and pouring rain -- like a scene out of a movie. I read a memorial piece as well as a piece from former colleagues of mine who could not be there.

I think about Sax all the time. He taught me more than I could ever convey in a paragraph or two. I feel that so many of us were robbed by his cancer-induced death.

I think that this ride is a way to pay tribute to so so so many like Sax and also to promote A CURE. Ride safely and fast and thanks for honoring these tremendous men, women & children.

Thanks John. Meg