Lee Gostolo - 3 years ago!!

[Spud]

Just been reminded on Facebook that it was 3 years ago Lee Gostolo passed away - many forum members knew Lee.

I mention this because Lee is at the very top of the list of the top top people I have had the honour to call a friend that I have met through boxing.

I remember Lee's funeral to this very day - being reduced to a gibbering wreck by his little lad reading out a poem in front of literally hundreds of people who crammed into the place to honour Lee - it was one of the most humbling experiences of my life seeing that little lad do that.

3 years ago Lee's passing away happened - it shows me how quickly time passes by.

I hope you are in a good place now Lee - RIP.

[dondada]

My God, where does the time go?

Lovely fella was Lee.

You're missed and remembered.

[d]

x

[Spud]

Ian,

Time flashes by so quickly - but people like Lee are never forgotten - some of the big shows I worked on I would be in a frenzy of worry wanting to do a good job - Lee would always come up to me with a big smile on his face and always asked what needed to be done - such a calm influence.

Lee was one of those blokes where boxing politics never got in the way - he had no problem in working for whatever promoter.

[danboxer1]

TOP MAN

[Arnie]

Rip lee mate.

[Lightsoot]

Got a lump in my throat when I saw this thread and I'm embarrassed that I'd completely forgotten that Lee died this time three years ago. I'm too preoccupied that my little boy is 4 tomorrow. I remember vividly when Spud rang me with the news that Lee had cancer and that he didn't have long to live, it was a Friday night and I was sat in a curry house waiting to collect a takeaway.

It brought back difficult memories of my Mum losing her longterm partner to cancer two years earlier. My wife also lost her Dad distressingly to cancer last year. It's an awful, b*****d of a disease which causes so much suffering.

I didn't know Lee as well as the others but I did know he was a fantastic bloke who was always brilliant with me. I posted a tribute to Lee on my old blog which attempted to do Lee justice in a few words. So sorely missed.

http://britishboxing.wordpress.com/?s=lee+gostolo

[ibbo]

R.I.P. Lee

[dondada]

I didn't know Lee as well as some either. I don't like bothering people when they're busy...and Lee was ALWAYS busy.

I'll tell you a daft thing which sums him up for me. I saw Lee, off duty, at one of Hearn's big darts tournaments at the Hallam Arena. I was on my own and Lee walked past me as I said hello. He didn't really notice and just gave me a nod, not really registering.

When he got back to his seat, he obviously clicked where he knew me from and he came straight back and had a chinwag, apologising for not immediately stopping.

Just a little example about friendliness, treating people with respect, class...top lad.

[Spud]

We all have memories of the sport - but for me one of the greatest honours was taking little Mitchell around the scenes at the Woods/Gonzlez show after Lee's passing away - Dennis Hobson asked me to try my best to make it special for the little man - Everybody from the boxers, to the press, to the TV crews to the BBBofC knew of Lee Gostolo and welcomed little Mitchell even to Clinton and Julio having him sat between them for the post fight interview - everybody did that for little Mitchell because they knew how special Lee was.

[THE TITAN]

We all have memories of the sport - but for me one of the greatest honours was taking little Mitchell around the scenes at the Woods/Gonzlez show after Lee's passing away - Dennis Hobson asked me to try my best to make it special for the little man - Everybody from the boxers, to the press, to the TV crews to the BBBofC knew of Lee Gostolo and welcomed little Mitchell even to Clinton and Julio having him sat between them for the post fight interview - everybody did that for little Mitchell because they knew how special Lee was.

Lovely gesture.

[Wrists]

Good words fellas

Didn't know the guy but by all accounts reading this he sounds like a top man and the world can never have enough of those

RIP

[SOUTHPAW]

Nice Fella....R.I.P Lee

[curtis wood]

r.i.p lee his little boy still comes to alot of dave coldwells shows lovely family credit to him

[bennie]

Lee was one of the few - the very few - good guys in boxing.

[rhino222]

i had the honour to meet lee and chat to him a number of times, he was a great guy who, as has already been said, was the same to everyone, whether you were a world champion or you cleaned out the bogs. lovely guy, sadly missed.

i work a lot closer to cancer than most of the fellas on here, due to my job in theatre, anything to do with the pancreas is really a one way street to nowhere, my godfather has just been diagnosed with the same stinking thing, but in australia, family members are optimistic but in my guts i know the way the great man in heading.

spud, lovely thread, thanks.

[Pugilist-specialist]

RIP Top Man

[Smigga]

Time flies, Lee was a great fella x

[hurlock]

sad story that, i lost my mum to cancer when i was 24 & watching her for 9months waste away & be ravaged by the illness had my whole family on the floor, but she smiled through & still tried playing mum to us.

too many people go through this & it's soul destroying.

[princess]

RIP great fella xx

[steelcity 65]

Top man Lee and sadly missed RIP mate