I had known a boy named Joseph. He had cerebral palsy and a heart condition, which were already hard enough to deal with, but in 2006 he was diagnosed with leukemia. He died on August 13 of last year, and his memory still lives on with me. He had touched my life in a way that I never thought a person could.
My family has known Joseph ever since he was a toddler. We used to go to Indians games together, and I would see him sitting in his wheelchair happily next to his mom. Joseph would always have a piece of thread that he would look at twiddling it around and admiring the multitude of colors. I was fascinated with his curiosity with the thread. Although Joseph couldn't read or write, he was always expressing his love and happiness. He would openly stretch out his arms and embrace you in a hug. It always made me wonder how he could be so happy when he was so sick.
As the leukemia progressed, his mother Vivian, had started a website that she would update everyday on how he was doing. When I checked his website for the last time, he had passed away at six in the morning, which was when I began my day. On the day of his passing this year, at six in the morning I got up, and said a prayer. It’s amazing how one child can touch a person’s life, even if you have only met them a few times. It makes me grateful for what I have in my own life.
