NHL prospect Austin Roest shared a message of support after his girlfriend, Milly Okabe, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
“Milly, I don’t even know what to say,” Roest, 22, wrote via Instagram on Friday, September 4. “I am so sorry this is happening to you. No one deserves to go through this. 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. I love you so much and I will be right there with you through all of this ❤️.”
The hockey player shared two pictures from Okabe’s hospital bed, while urging his followers to donate to a GoFundMe set up “to help support Milly and her family during this difficult time.”
Roest was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He split last season between the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals and the ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators.
According to the GoFundMe, Okabe, 22, was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that starts in the glands that line the organs.
Okabe revealed her diagnosis on Friday in a social media post of her own.
“There’s a lot of fear of the unknown, 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 shared via Instagram.
Okabe added, “Thank you to everyone who has supported me in any way. I’m so extremely grateful.”
Austin Roest, Milly Okabe Courtesy of Austin Roest/Instagram
Roest and Okabe have been dating for over three years, per the athlete’s Instagram. “1 year with the best ❤️,” he gushed in June 2024.
Okabe, a former figure skater, is described as “a kind, strong and selfless person who means so much to everyone around her,” in the fundraiser arranged in her honor.
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“Skating has always been a huge part of Milara’s life,” the GoFundMe reads. “After spending years as a high-level skater herself, she now loves being able to share that passion by teaching kids how to skate. Outside of the rink, she is constantly with the people she loves the most — her friends and family, as well as simply having the most fun in everything she does.”
The page continues, “As Milara goes through treatment, her family is doing everything possible to remain by her side. Along with the emotional weight of her diagnosis, she is now facing time away from work, travel and accommodation costs, medications, fertility preservation, and many other unexpected expenses. Our hope is to surround Milara and her family with the same love and support they have always shown the people around them. By easing some of the financial pressure, we hope they can focus their energy on what matters most right now Milara’s care, well-being, and spending time together as a family.”
Okabe’s GoFundMe had raised over $50,000 at the time of this story’s publication.
