Cancer and Healthy

After the death of my grandfather, a few years passed and I started to hear about a friend of mine who had a bit of a health challenge.

Juan Chesson was probably the nicest guy you could ever meet. He was a year older than me. I was in several classes with his younger brother, Harold. Their father was a teacher and coached high school football and baseball. Consequently, Juan participated in sports and grew up playing whiffle ball, basketball and football with his brother and friends in their backyard. When he grows older, Juan played high school football and baseball. Of course he got all of the sportsmanship awards.

An avid runner, Juan stayed in a better condition than any of us once we graduated high school. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, many of us would get together and play full-court basketball. Several of the players were all-conference and all-state athletes. But no one wanted to guard Juan, because he was always in such great shape!

A good student, he graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in mathematics. He became a secondary school teacher and baseball coach in Asheville, North Carolina. He had a happy and satisfying career and was making a difference in the lives of his young pupils.

When he discovered that he had leukemia.

Juan went through the traditional medical treatments, using chemotherapy. After a long struggle, the leukemia went into remission. When we heard the news, let us all a sigh of relief. Indeed, Juan was one of the good guys. But he was not yet out of the woods.

Ultimately, the leukemia came back, this time stronger than ever. Juan fought the good fight, but this time won the disease. Shelton Juan Chesson, Jr. passed away in the autumn of 1999. He was just thirty-two years old. He stood behind a woman who was eight months pregnant.

Juan's death made me think long and hard about a few things. I realized that I can not take for granted in life, especially my health. If that could happen to Juan, it could happen to everyone.

Each time a moment, I wonder about my friend. I bet they play whiffle ball in the sky. All because of Juan.