Brian D'Angelo

He was one of my most inspiring people that I ever have come across in my life. He showed me that you shouldn’t feel bad for yourself, because if you always have a smile, that is all you need to be happy and find the best in life. Brian D’Angelo is my hero. He was one of the millions of unfortunate people that the horrible disease called cancer has taken away from us. Yet, Brian never felt unfortunate, but instead felt blessed that he got to live each day to the fullest. I am inspired by the way Brian was always an optimist. Even when Brian went for the operation that we knew would be his last, Brian laid in his hospital bed saying how lucky he was because he got the room with the VCR. Brian always looked at the positive side of situations, and that made it all better for him.

A hero, to me, is someone who you look up to; someone who you wish you could be more like, someone who makes you say “wow” when you look at their life. I look back on Brain’s life and I say “wow” at his courage, his warmth, his optimism, his willingness to live. To me, he lived his life to the fullest, even if it was 15% of a normal lifespan. I respect the way he lived during the lifespan he was given. Most of the time, when people are diagnosed with cancer, they have had time to live their life, to make the best of it. This was not the case with Brain D’Angelo. His life was robbed from him at a very young age. Within the exceptionally short time span of 10 years, Brain knew his life was limited and could end at any moment. He faced life with that thought and made the best of what he could, and I think he did an outstanding job dealing with his disease. He faced life with the courage that I did not know was possible.

Some people say that courage is climbing up the highest mountain in the world. Others say that skydiving is a courageous thing. Yet, to me, courage is getting up in the morning to go to the doctor’s office to get another painful shot that you know will make you sick as a dog for 3 long days. Courage is the strength to tell yourself that it will all be okay, even though in your heart, you know it all could end very soon. Courage is having the strength to help your family deal with the disease that will end your life. Yet, most of all, courage is being able to smile back at the world after all the painful memories.

Brian D’Angelo taught me to always find the good in life, no matter what the situation. He has taught me to use up every ounce of life because you’ll never get it again. Brian has taught me to never hold back on anything I do and not to let fear take over because that would be a waste of precious time. Brian has taught me that no matter how many hardships you have, you should smile back at the world and never give up your fight.

Brian’s life was taken away when he barely beginning to really experience it. He was robbed of a chance to have a family of his own, and to live a long life and prosper. Brian makes me realize that I should take and be happy for every chance I get because I might not get that many. I only knew Brian for a little while but he touched my life in a way I’ll never forget. Everyday, I look up and thank him for the lessons he taught me in life. I will never forget them, nor him.