Forever in Our Hearts.

Over the past year, there have been many lessons in life; many positive and laughable while others far more difficult to comprehend.?One of the harder lessons I learned this past year was how dangerous the world truly is. ?

On March 16th 2020, our little cousin Logan passed away from glioblastoma; a rare but aggressive brain cancer that currently does not have a cure.?He was 1 week shy of turning 9 and it all happened just days before the world shutdown from the pandemic.?

I remember hearing the news that Logan was ill and immediately we booked a trip to the family farm for a visit.?We did not know how severe the cancer was nor how long he had to live.?However, my wife, having worked for the Terry Fox Foundation. had access to an abundance of research. ?She knew this was not good.?

When we arrived to the farm, we paused at the entrance, in anticipation of the worst.? However, we were amazed at how “normal” Logan was.?Normal is probably not the best term to use, but without knowing that he had a very aggressive brain cancer, there was no indication he was ill.?He was running and smiling around the farm as a kid normally would, we were playing board games like you normally would with an 8 year old, and we told normal kid jokes around the dinner table.?The only thing that was abnormal was he complained that he sometimes had pretty bad headaches, but he would take a nap and they would go away when he woke.?

Things were normal…until they were not.?On the second day we were at the farm, just after lunch, Logan complained about another headache.?So, his mother and father took him to the bedroom for a nap. ?I remember about an hour later, Logan’s father coming through the bedroom door; he had a look terror and helplessness in his eyes.?All he said calmly was “we need to go to the hospital now” and I knew.?I got up immediately, walked to the door and had my car started.?I don’t know how fast I was driving; it was all really a blur as I raced down the farm roads and into town.?But I do remember the cries from the back seat and trying to will time to stand still for a moment so that we could get to the hospital faster and spend an extra moment with Logan.?By the time we arrived at the hospital in Duncan, there was a medivac helicopter already waiting to take Logan to BC Children’s Hospital.?

The drive back to the family farm was quiet as it was just me.?At one point, I remember just sitting at a light that had just turned green and not being able to move; I knew the moment I walked through the doors, things would not be the same.?

Two days later, Logan was taken off life-support at BC Children’s Hospital with the entire family around him. We were oblivious to everything happening outside that room and only being in the present.

The entire event from those few days opened shook us raw and made us really question things.?At the time, my wife and I were expecting our first child, but she had barely passed the first trimester and we hadn’t told many people.?A year later, I think the hardest takeaway is how vicious life is.?There is no certainty in the world and at any time, life can be taken away. So, live each moment and spend it like Logan did; playing board games with family and running up and down the driveway, smiling more.

This weekend is the Terry Fox Run.?Terry Fox was an inspirational man who was a tenacious individual who wanted to make a difference in the world.?Having met the family, they are all driven, kind and caring, as are all the volunteers and staff.?We wanted to raise money for cancer research but unfortunately, my little man, who just turned one, cannot run yet.?Instead, we decided to cycle 800km over the course of my paternity leave and raise $4000.?

We actually completed a 832.58km as of last week.?However, we have not achieved the fundraising target.?So, I am going to ride an additional 67.42km alone, as my way of honoring Logan who missed his 9th birthday. My ask is that if you or your colleagues have the financial means of supporting, please donate.?My son is only one and I cannot fathom losing my child; I don’t think any of us can.?Life is not fair.?But together, we can make a difference and be part of the village who support and fight cancer.?Please support.

In Memory of Logan (terryfox.ca)