When Merrick resident Seth Tabor arrived at his third annual Warrior Walk last week, he wasn’t on his feet this time — he was in a wheelchair, breathing through an oxygen tank after a brutal complication from cancer treatment. But the 50-year-old father, advertising executive, and three-year colorectal cancer fighter never questioned whether he’d be there.
“I knew I was going,” he said. “No matter what.”
Held at the Massapequa Preserve on Nov. 23, the walk drew its largest turnout yet, with friends, family, neighbors, teachers, and colleagues forming a sea of support. For Tabor, who raised his two children here, the event represents far more than a fundraiser — it has become a symbol of hope, advocacy, and community power.
For two decades, Merrick has been home for Tabor, his wife Emily, and their children — one now in college, the other beginning at Calhoun High School. In Manhattan, Tabor built a career at McCann advertising, serving as an executive producer on major national campaigns. His work includes New York Lottery commercials, Super Bowl spots, celebrity-driven ads, and U.S. Soccer.
“I put the teams together — the creatives, directors, editors, visual effects — and help bring the idea to life,” he said. “Some of the ads you probably see every day are mine.”
But recent health complications forced Tabor onto short-term disability just two weeks before the walk. Even so, he has never stopped using his professional skills to advocate for others.
Tabor’s battle began at age 47, when he noticed blood in his stool — a symptom he initially brushed off as something minor.
“I thought it was gluten, or maybe I’d be told to drink less beer,” he said.
But a colonoscopy revealed colorectal cancer.
“My strength really comes from my army of support,” he said. “My wife is everything. My kids have been unbelievable. My friends, coworkers — it’s all of them. That’s why I can keep fighting.”
Longtime friend Josh Blum, who has known Tabor for nearly a decade through their children’s friendship, echoed that sentiment.
“He’s an unwavering optimist through and through,” Blum said. “He’s a family man, always putting his family first, and calling them out for just being unbelievably supportive. Even in bad shape, he wouldn’t cancel the walk. He made sure the message got out — because it’s too important to give up.”
The first walk raised $33,000, funding clinical trials at Memorial Sloan Kettering. This year’s event raised nearly $25,000.
“What mattered most this year wasn’t the number,” Tabor said. “It was the feeling. This was the most love I’ve ever seen at one of these.”
Teachers from Chatterton and Old Mill Road came out. Members of the North Merrick Runners joined. Colleagues traveled from the city. Neighbors, friends, and people who had never met him until that morning filled the preserve.
“It was impossible to overlook the love in that space,” Tabor said. “Everyone felt it.”
For Tabor, raising awareness is just as important as raising money. Colorectal cancer is often preventable, he emphasized, if caught early.
“When I was diagnosed, the screening age was 50. Now it’s 45 — but it should be even lower,” he said. “If I had been tested earlier, I probably wouldn’t have cancer now.”
He has used his advertising background to launch “Toilet Talk,” a social campaign that encourages people to film simple messages in their bathrooms — urging others to know their family history, recognize symptoms, and insist on early screening. The project has gained momentum: actor Chadwick Boseman’s widow has expressed interest in participating.
“The numbers among young people are rising,” Tabor said. “People need this information.”
When asked about his personal goals for the coming year, Tabor didn’t hesitate.
“To stay alive. To beat this,” he said. “And to keep helping — raising money, raising awareness, doing whatever I can to make sure fewer people end up where I am.”
His message to the Merrick community is simple:
“If you get tested early, you can prevent this. You can beat this. Please don’t wait.”
