Austin Roest has mentioned that he will stand by his girlfriend, Milly Okabe, as she faces stage 4 cancer.
The 22-year-old NHL prospect shared the news on Instagram on September 4, posting a photo of Okabe in a hospital bed and promising to support her through the difficult period ahead.
“Milly, I don’t even know what to say,” Roest wrote. “I am so sorry this is happening to you. No one deserves to go through this.”
Despite the diagnosis, Roest said he believes Okabe will overcome it.
“That being said, I have no doubt in my mind you will beat cancer. You are the strongest person I know and I know you will overcome everything that comes your way over the next year,” he said.
Roest, who was selected by the Nashville Predators in the sixth round, also revealed that a GoFundMe has been started to support Okabe and her family during her treatment.
“I love you so much and I will be right there with you through all of this,” he wrote.
Okabe, also 22, acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding her condition but said she was drawing strength from the people around her.
“There’s a lot of fear of the unknown,” she wrote on Instagram. “But what I do know is that I am extremely lucky in this life to have friends that are family, and a family that loves me this hard.”
She thanked those who have supported her and her family.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported me in any way,” Okabe said. “I’m so extremely grateful.”
Roest and Okabe have been dating since 2023 and have occasionally shared glimpses of their relationship over the years.
