"I would love to stay with you": Oberbayer dies at the age of 40 and leaves behind a young family

Created: 2022-11-28 05:04

By: Markus Schwarzkugler

Almost exactly three months ago: Fabian Zehtner, who had long been seriously ill, with his wife Lisa and their four small children on the Landshuter Dult.

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He didn't give up and never complained about his fate.

Now Fabian Zehtner has lost his brave fight against an incurable brain tumor.

The grief for the father of four goes far beyond his old companions in Berglern.

Berglern/Manhartsdorf – An unusual rock night took place on Saturday a week ago in Berglern (Erding district).

It began with a memorial service for the extremely popular and committed Andreas "Sumsi" Huber and Martin "Bauze" Kriegmair, who died much too early.

It was Huber's tenth anniversary of his death.

Fate was to play along so tragically that Pastor Richard Greul had to rewrite his moving speech shortly before.

To add a third name.

Father of four loses battle with cancer

Because in the early afternoon of that Saturday, a good friend of the two had died: Fabian Zehtner, who had lost his brave fight against an incurable brain tumor at the age of just 40.

"And it was my name day," says his widow Lisa, with whom he has four small children aged one to six years.

"The news of his death reached us at the sound check," says Daniel Helmecke, a companion from the old days at SV Eintracht Berglern.

As recently as June, our newspaper reported on the great sympathy for the terrible fate of the family, on the overwhelming help from neighbors, friends, families and associations.

The Berglerner Eintracht raised money during their festival week for the 60th anniversary of the club.

A little later, Helmecke remembers, all the proceeds from the local parish festival went to the family.

However, these are just two examples from Berglern.

"The help hasn't stopped to this day, they even cooked for us.

The people have carried us so much through this difficult time.

There's something really divine about it," says Fabian's widow Lisa, full of gratitude.

The terrible diagnosis reaches the family in the middle of a phase full of hustle and bustle.

It's the pre-Christmas period exactly one year ago.

The mechanical engineer and native of Manhartsdorf (Wartenberg municipality) is currently expanding the attic of the house he bought in Landshut in 2016, and he is also installing a new bathroom.

In the midst of this he receives the terrible news that a glioblastoma is growing in his head, a tumor that keeps growing no matter how many times you cut it out.

Which ultimately will not be stopped.

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Expensive medication: The family is very supportive

Among other things, Zehtner is struggling with signs of paralysis on one side.

In the meantime, however, he is still hoping for therapy, so he switches to an antibody drug administered as an infusion.

It is supposed to limit the growth of the tumor, which even works: it recedes.

At the same time, Zehtner receives chemotherapy and tablets.

An infusion alone costs 3000 euros, which is why all sorts of people and also the SVE Berglern want to support him financially.

A wave of helpfulness rolls out.

Especially since the family also has to finance a house.

“We are very grateful for any help.

It's a great campaign," says Fabian Zehtner in June about the idea of ​​the club, for which he played football for 18 years and was a referee for ten years.

In 2005 he was part of the champion team that was promoted to the district class.

In 189 games for First and Second, he has scored 29 goals.

He also played tennis.

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He and his Lisa, a secondary school teacher from Passau, met in Landshut in 2011.

Both worked in Ergolding, so buying a house in Landshut made sense.

They got married there in 2015, followed by four children.

Numerous friends and companions of Zehtner say goodbye

"He was our brother Fabius, who gave the sermon at the Eintracht strong beer festival," remembers Helmecke.

"And he was up for any nonsense," says Fabian Zehtner's friend since kindergarten, Uwe Lerch.

"He was there everywhere, you could rely on him," says the mountain learner, who, together with Zehtner, was one of the friends of the Bienenheisl between the ages of 15 and 25 - a meeting place for young people.

His friends from that time placed a moving ad in today's issue of our newspaper.

It's not the only one.

The funeral service will take place on Friday, December 2, at 11:30 a.m. in the parish church of St. Margaret in Landshut, with the urn burial at 1 p.m. in the Achdorf cemetery.

In June, Zehtner said full of hope and willingness to fight: "I'm confident that we'll have many more years together." But the cancer was relentless.

It's only been a few months.

To the end, Zehtner endured the cruel illness at home, did not go to the hospice.

"He was amazing, fought and never complained until the end," says his widow Lisa.

"He was just like, 'I'd love to stay with you guys.'"