You've heard it at clubs, family reunions, birthday parties, and even at church.
"Slide to the left..."
Slide to the right..."
Once you hear that signature voice of the global line dance song known as The Casper Slide, you know you had to get out on the dance floor. But it's creator, DJ Casper, has passed away at 58 years old.
The Chicago native lost his battle with cancer on Monday.
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Back in 2016, we reported on Casper after he got initially diagnosed with two types of cancer.
When Casper initially went into the hospital, doctors said they found he had a tumor the size of a football.
But as the doctors were operating to the remove the mass, it became clear that something else was going on. The doctors found that Casper not only suffered from kidney cancer, but also a rare form of neuroendocrine cancer as well.
Dr. Courtney Hollowell, Casper’s doctor, said that both cancers were already in their advanced stages when diagnosed. Casper began taking chemotherapy pills in hopes to combat the disease, but ultimately it failed.
A neuroendocrine tumor may grow slowly or aggressively and spread to other parts of the body. Many people do not develop symptoms and the tumor is detected incidentally. When symptoms occur, they can vary based on the location of the tumor. In rare cases, skin flushing or fluctuating blood sugar levels may occur.
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When cancer is found in the liver, it has often spread from somewhere else in the body (liver metastasis). Symptoms are uncommon in the early stages of liver cancer. Later, symptoms may include weight loss, belly pain, vomiting, and yellowed skin. Some people may experience pain in the abdomen, gastrointestinal bloating, fluid in the abdomen, nausea, or vomiting. Others also complain of fatigue or loss of appetite.
Some of the most common symptoms of liver cancer are itching, weight loss, or yellow skin and eyes.
When he sat down with ABC7 back in May, Casper said he was having challenges with his health, but he vowed to remain positive and cherish every moment. He left behind a song that brings people together from all walks of life.
But Casper said he never thought the "Cha Cha Slide" would be an international sensation.
"When I first did it, I did it as an aerobic exercise for my nephew at Bally's," Casper said. "From there, it just took off. Elroy Smith from WGCI grabbed ahold of it."
The song caught fire and took off.
"I have one of the biggest songs that played at all stadiums: hockey, basketball, football, baseball; they played it at the Olympics," Casper said. "It was something that everybody could do."
He was even touring with James Brown. But, everything came to a halt when the icon was diagnosed with cancer.
"They diagnosed me in 2016 with two kinds of cancer, which is renal and Neuroendocrine, which is kidney and liver," Casper said. "They went in to try to do surgery, and they found out the kidney was connected to the main artery, so they decided not to do it and just treat it."
His battle brought waves of challenges over the years. Most recently, Casper shared with ABC7 that he was having trouble eating, and was losing a lot of weight.
"I used to weigh 236 pounds, and I think I'm about 60 pounds less," Casper said. "If you know me, you know I'm not going to stop. I'm going to continue to go. I'm going to continue to go until I can't go."
The Chicago legend said he hopes his "Cha Cha Slide" will always serve as a reminder of the power of unity, community, and positivity.
He left behind an important message for those who are struggling.
"Anybody that's going through cancer, know that you have cancer and cancer does not have you," Casper said. "So, keep on doing the 'Cha Cha Slide.'"
Today, we slide to left and the right for Casper.
Rest in Peace, our friend.
