White Bear Lake wrestler grapples with toughest opponent

After suffering brutal headaches and blurred vision, Gabe Kessel was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer that to this point, has no cure.

by Audrey Russo of KARE 11

Legendary wrestler Dan Gable once said, “once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy.” That may not always feel true for a high school wrestler from White Bear Lake, who is gearing up for the toughest match of his life.

Gabe Kessel will be a senior this fall. Back in April, he wrestled his way to second place in a tournament, fighting through discomfort.

The next day, his vision became blurred and Gabe’s family brought him to the doctor. Concerns of dehydration turned into a much more serious diagnosis: A Diffuse Midline Glioma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer with no known cure. Gabe has started radiation and chemotherapy, while his family has sought out experimental treatments.

Still, Gabe has responded well to treatment, with one recent scan showing his tumor has shrunk. For now, he is focusing on making the most of his senior year. While his condition has put the brakes on competing, Gabe has taken on a new role with White Bear Lake’s wrestling team: assistant coach.

Gabe’s story is so inspiring it has even reached the ears of a certain Dan Gable.

It also reached the ears of Brandon Eggum, head coach of the Minnesota Gophers wrestling team.

White Bear Lake’s wrestling coach has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help Gabe’s family with the cost of medical care. Click here if you’d like to donate.