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Colin Meagher

@meagherdude

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I am a photographer and family man living with ALS. https://secure.alsnorthwest.org/site/TR/Endurance/General?px=1002721&pg=personal&fr_id=1190

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Oh @meagherdude here I am shooting a World Cup and unfortunately you aren’t here to show me the ropes, heckle everyone and share tequila with.

BUT for everyone that knew Colin, I want you to be on the lookout for his bag. It was my number one request when I heard about his diagnosis that I wanted his World Cup bag to remember him by. He was a HUGE inspiration to become a race mechanic. And later to start shooting pics.

I will be around all weekend, trackside and in the venue. I invite any and all who knew him to come up and tell stories, get a hug, and just celebrate Colin. Make sure to say hi and just know that he is out here with all of us and would have been running up and down the hill loving all of this and that there is a World Cup in his back yard! taken in Whistler Mountain Bike Park by @meagherdude

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23 days ago

Happy 4th birthday to my sweet boy, and happy birthday to Colin.

Holding these two milestones at the same time is heavy, but it’s also full of so much love. When I look at Mads I see so much of Colin—in his smile, his laugh, his curiosity, and the brave way he takes on the world.

Colin, we miss you every second, but today we celebrate you right alongside the incredible little boy you gave me. by @meagherdude

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a month ago

Six months without Colin. Six months of adapting to a completely new version of my life—learning to let go of people who don’t hold me up, and opening space for those who do. I’m working hard to take care of my body, mind, and heart in ways I couldn’t before his death.

I sometimes wonder if there’s a version of me in a parallel universe who handled all of this better. But I doubt it. We both did the best we could for eight years—constantly reminded of the fragility of life, and filling those years with laughter, adventure, love, and family. It was a profound thing to walk Colin to the end of his life, and I am forever changed by it. We miss you CM ❤️‍🩹
#widow #grief #newlife by @meagherdude

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2 months ago

Today I was joined by a small crew to spread some of Colin’s ashes on Mt. St. Helens. It was a beautiful day to be out on bikes with friends, forever grateful for the many adventures and memories Colin and I had in this zone.

@thegrimyhandshake reminded me that while Colin is gone, he’s also everywhere. And that I was bringing him to a place where he most wanted to be.

Thank you for sharing this special moment with me @bekah.rottenberg @moremichlove @annekeller1 and @jenzeuner 💙

And yes, there was tears, laughter and some gorgeous pedaling had. Even as I was hit by waved of emotion i reminded myself that there is no right or wrong way to do grief. Sadness, happiness, anger, relief and the entire gamut of emotions are still part of my life. Colin wanted nothing more than for me and the kids to continue to live and make the most of this one precious life we are granted. And so it goes…

Bekah said it best as we cracked a @pfriembeer bourbon barrel imperial stout—thank you for bringing us to all these amazing places Colin 🍻

#mtsthelens #windyridge #patagoniamtb #terminalillness ashestoashesdusttodust taken in Mt St Helens, Windy Ridge by @meagherdude

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3 months ago

Lots of firsts as we navigate life lately. Madoc’s first Father’s Day without his dad. At 3.5 he still doesn’t really understand impermanence, but it’s a constant conversation in our household ❤️‍🩹

Colin would be so proud Mads - he is officially shredding on a pedal bike, sleeping through “most” nights and expanding his taste in cured meats, even the spicy ones. Every time we see a butterfly we say “hi dad” and it’s a good reminder that he is always with us as we continue living.

Colin, we miss you. Thank you for giving us all the gift of Madoc and for your love. We are all better for it. by @meagherdude

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4 months ago

Last night we gathered and celebrated Colin. It was a beautiful evening filled with family, friends, memories, laughter, and tears. The stories told perfectly captured his spirit, zest for life and human connection. And Colin would have loved everything about the night except the lack of tequila.

In my speech, I read the following:

“If I could tell Colin anything right now, I would tell him how incredibly loved he is. How brave he was at the end. How being married to him is a badge of honor I will carry with me forever. When I look up at the stars, I picture him looking down on me and the kids, smiling as we keep moving forward.

Madoc and I talk about Colin often. I tell him how much his dad loves him — how his energy and spirit surround us, and will be a guiding light as he grows up.”

It was such a gift — to witness, all together, the love we hold for Colin and I hope to carry that forward into this next chapter. 🤍

Thank you to everyone who held me together and helped me pull this night together — it takes a village, and I’m forever grateful for mine:
@brave.endeavors @dorothy.topp @7seastrees @adventureswithhart @dirtyfingersbikes @melaniestrong @heronpondfarms @mnkucher830

#fuckals #terminalillness #widow #grateful by @meagherdude

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5 months ago

Happy Anniversary CM. It’s been four weeks since you left this earthly planet. Today would have been our 8th wedding anniversary. Eight years ago we stood in Death Valley surrounded by friends and family saying “I do’s” not knowing how long we had together, but knowing whatever time we did have that we would make the most of it. And boy did we live the f@$& out of the years we had. Thank you for that. ❤️

I’ve been thinking a lot about life and death lately. Grief and joy. Our years of living hard, traveling, parenting, cultivating meaningful friendships, and most importantly working hard at being the best versions of ourselves.

And then we had Madoc. Born on Colin’s birthday, his lasting legacy. Our wild child. The caboose. My daily reminder of Colin.

I feel so incredibly lucky that I get to guide Madoc through his life—knowing how much he would have loved his dad, and how deeply his dad loved him.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild precious life?” — Mary Oliver by @meagherdude

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7 months ago

It’s almost been a week, and I’m still overwhelmed and at a complete loss for words by the reality of Colin’s death. As much time as we had to prepare, the actuality and finality of his death is numbing. The grief is so intense I don’t even want to touch it yet.

All the tributes that have been flowing in are a beautiful reminder of how amazing he was. How loved he was. How he connected people and places and left his positive mark on so many. And the behind the scenes look is even more special. He was an incredible partner who selflessly did everything in his power to be the best version of himself for me and the kids. He loved us beyond measure and continually showed his love in many forms even beyond his death. He was so brave for us.

This was one of Colin’s favorite photos of us in one of our favorite places. Sunrise on the racetrack in Death Valley, not a soul in sight, camera in hand. Funny enough no bikes. Maybe some tequila? We would find ourselves back in this spot two years later with Hudson and Sage en tow, showing them the magic of Death Valley, and then saying our wedding vows surrounded by our closest friends and family.

The kids and I will close this circle by spreading some of Colin’s ashes here. When we are ready. Until then, I will forever hold that smile in my heart. 💔

Thank you to everyone, friends, family, community for all the love and support, flowers, cookies, meals and hugs. taken in Death Valley National Park by @meagherdude

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7 months ago

So a couple weeks ago I posted about how sick of the three flavors of Boost I was and how @nikkirohan_ and I had enhanced my ability to choke the stuff down with some Irish cream. Well, in a former life I spent a couple years bartending so I started thinking: let’s have some fun with this. I mean it can’t just be me who’s semi dependent on this stuff. And equally sick of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. Why not share the love and give ALS the middle finger at the same time? So I’m going to name my proposed modifications to Boost in the comments. Just like the ones you think sound drinkable and/or post your own recipes in the comments. Let’s have some fun!#notgoingtoletalswin by @meagherdude

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9 months ago

Glad to be right here:cozy by the fire. 2025 behind me, the promise of 2026 ahead of me. But right now? Warm and cozy. I’ll take it. #beingpresentinthemoment by @meagherdude

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10 months ago

Despite the humor of the AI spoofed photo of me opening up this series, it’s been a heavy day. Exactly 8 years ago today I got my preliminary diagnosis of ALS, a terminal disease. It’s been a wild ride since then! Our true diagnosis came three months and ten days later and took 31 blood tests, 2 MRIs, a CAT scan, and a Lumbar Puncture.

So…heavy day. But in looking back, we’ve made the best of what would be a devastating diagnosis for anyone. We’ve basically focused 100% on living life. Yes, we’ve had rough patches. But for the most part? I’m pretty stoked about how we, as a family, have continued living life as normally as possible: travel, adventure, school, marriage, a baby…basically we decided that just because I’m dying there’s no reason to quit living.

Nobody is guaranteed a long life. But how you choose to live that life is what makes a difference. I’m so incredibly proud of how my family has lived through these past 8 years with me. There’ve been highs. There’ve been lows. But we’ve never met a day that didn’t have potential to put a smile on our faces. To be meaningful.

Thank you @nikkirohan_ @hudson_hollatz @sagee._.h as well as @heronpondfarms and @loriearnold6 for making it possible to keep holding onto the good times! #livingwithals 📸 @patrikzuest , @dylanvanweelden , @jamesonflorence taken in Planet Earth by @meagherdude

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10 months ago

I’m incredibly thankful to my Seattle crew for helping me make this interview possible. Their love and support for me and my family throughout this process of living /dying with ALS has made me so incredibly grateful. Yes, my family is on the frontlines and has soaked up the brunt of my battle to live a normal life despite my terminal diagnosis, but this incredible group of friends has been integral to giving them some breathing room and helping them enjoy the type of adventures that used to be my bread and butter. It definitely takes a village. Thank you VitalMTB.com for checking in on me and helping me feel the love! Thank you @patrikzuest , @iheartbikes , @keithkarlick , @jamesonflorence @rdilla and @okaybrodave for keeping the dream alive. #feelingthelove .
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Now live on vittlmtb.com, YouTube, and other podcast platforms. by @meagherdude

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10 months ago