This morning, my wife Kerry shared a deeply personal message with her friends on social media.

While I was a little hesitant to share her message, as her powerful words speak for themselves, given my role as mayor, I recognize that our personal lives and challenges are subject to public interest. Therefore, I want to share with you what Kerry and our family are confronting head-on, and that is cancer.

If you’ve already seen her message, I want to thank you for offering such kind, supportive comments and prayers to her and our family. She also hopes that sharing her journey can help to inspire and empower others who are battling an illness.

Finally, we all know social media can be ugly and combative sometimes, but there is also power in it as it provides a platform for us to come together to love, support and empower one another. I find value in that, because even though I am your mayor, I am also a husband and dad who seeks strength to get through tough times – just like we all do.

I am incredibly proud of Kerry, proud to share her message, and will be by her side for every step of this personal journey while continuing to lead our city forward. Thank you.

Kerry’s Note:

There's nothing like having the support of family and friends, as I embark on a new chapter of life...

It has been said that political campaigns are like marathons. They’re long, with slow starts that quickly ramp up, requiring candidates to endure long days that sap their energy and threaten to deplete their resources. Whether campaigns last 3 months or longer than a year, no one will deny that reservoirs of energy, passion, persistence, tenacity and faith must be tapped and replenished regularly, as one would when running a marathon.

I’ve supported Rick through 8 political campaigns. He was the candidate, but I’ve endured the marathons right by his side, as his wife, friend and advisor.

Now it’s my turn to run my own-type of marathon, and his turn to be by my side.

In September, we traveled to California to accompany Samuel to the biggest competition of his golf career, The Pure Insurance Championship Benefiting the First Tee. Mild discomfort that began earlier that month came to a head on our second day in Monterey. A visit to the emergency room, along with a series of tests and scans revealed an infection that required me to be given I.V. antibiotics and hospitalized for two days. Thankfully, I responded to the antibiotic in time to be released the morning of the first day of the tournament. I was able to make it to the course, just as Samuel finished the first 9 holes on the Pebble Beach Golf Course. He gave me his ball from that day, which he finished tied for first place. I carry it with me every day.

But that wasn’t all those scans and tests revealed.

They also revealed cancer.

Rick and I held onto our secret from those tests that week, as this was an important week for Samuel, and we were visiting family who lived in Carmel, and had my mom, Jordan and aunt with us, too.