The Miracle of Survival: An ordinary Man's Extraordinary Story

Two Week Road Trip - A Near Catastrophe

Five of us were returning from a two-week motorcycle road trip when a semi truck crossed the highway, putting us all in a state of horror. My friend, who was keeping an eye on the bike of our friend with a failing engine due to the distance from our home, managed to navigate a near-tragedy with remarkable skill and calm. The miracle was so bold that it left him unscathed, with only minor damage to his motorcycle. The semi truck driver must have been so engrossed in their own journey that they never even noticed the bikes that narrowly missed them.

Im not religious but watching an average Joe lay his bike on its side, slide under a semi trailer, and then right it with no damage is as close to a miracle as you are going to get, the friend recounted.

A Life-Altering Diagnosis

Life often takes sudden and unexpected twists. When my daughter was three and a half, she was diagnosed with Wilm's tumor with negative histology just four days before Christmas. The odds were against her, with only a 40% chance of survival until the next Christmas. The journey since then has been nothing short of a battlefield.

Although the experience was traumatic and the journey difficult, it has shown me that resilience and strength can come from the most unexpected places.

Aftermath and Resilience

There is a container in my home where I keep the long red hair my daughter lost during her chemotherapy sessions. The miracle does not end with the physical survival but extends to her emotional and academic progress. She attended her senior high school proms and is now starting her second year of university, having accumulated the credits of a third-year student.

But standing in the gap is not just about survival. It's about the values we instill in our children. My daughter's strength, resilience, and determination are an exponential factor greater than my own, both as a former Infantryman and a tough dad. I have endured my fair share of adversities, from brain surgery and a stroke to broken back and neck fusion surgery.

I grapple with and HATE cancer more than most can imagine. Each day is a battle, yet in many of those battles, my daughter is my greatest inspiration. Her inner strength and courage are a testament to the indomitable human spirit.

Through the lens of these personal stories, we see the resilience and perseverance that can emerge after the most challenging of moments. It is this resilience that reminds us of the miracles that occur on a daily basis, sometimes in the most unexpected ways.