A new hero

Good Moring Guys:

There will be two posts today. This one and another that will come later this afternoon. This first one though is a little different.

I spent Sunday evening with some old friends (friends seems like an inadequate word and extended family seems too stodgy). Anyway I’ve known these dear people for more than 30 years and I love them all. No kidding. I really do.

Anyway, sometime between the recounting of unbelievable stories and downright lies, we start talking about the big football game between perennial rivals Bishop Hendricken where I went to school, and the evil Darth Vader Academy (Okay it’s LaSalle Academy, but they’re still evil).

So Donna turns to me and tells me that one of the kids on the Hendricken cross-country team is in the hospital with Burkitt’s Lymphoma. After a little finagling Donna gets the kid’s name and his hospital room for me and I give him a buzz yesterday afternoon.

It’s kind of weird though. These people don’t know me and I don’t want to seem like some Penn State predatory. Anyway after I talk to his mom, she let’s me chat with the kid.

He’s one tough little monkey. We talked for about a half an hour about all things Burkitt’s. I won’t tell you his name because … well … I didn’t ask his permission and, as you know, I don’t use names anyway. This kid has been hooking and jabbing in the hospital for more than 90 straight days fighting one battle after another. I thought I had it tough, but I’m a whining baby compared to this kid. He is an inspiration.

As you guys know, I’ll go to the doctor if I have the sniffles – in fact I’m doing that today at 0920. No kidding I’m going ‘cause I have the sniffles.

The point is … I’m not sure there is a point actually. I was thinking I’d try and be a role model to this young man so he’d maintain a good attitude, but it kind of feels like he’s the mentor and I’m the protégé.

I sent him my email and going to include him on future postings to my superb blog.

I’ll write more later today when I get back from the doc.

BTW – Good triumphed over evil as Hendricken beat LaSalle in the big state championship game.

Peace,

Bill