What is the true meaning of bravery? Is it the ability to confront terrible things, or is it the guts to hold on when you know the struggle you fought so hard to win is about to end?
Bravery, for a sixteen-year-old girl, was sticking by her father through thick and thin, through good times and bad.
This is the story that a man named Tom Mitchell told.
This devoted father recalled his daughter’s complaints about feeling under the weather and her request to be taken to the doctor since she believed she had a sinus infection.
Yes, darling, I will come collect you right after school tomorrow. We may have dinner together after if you’d like,” he answered.
They did have dinner together the following day, however it was not at their favorite restaurant. Instead, children in the pediatric oncology unit of Fairfax Hospital were experiencing trouble swallowing their food. There would be almost 450 meals shared by this father and daughter, not to mention the hundreds more in the years to come.
His daughter had a large tumor that had spread to her lungs and collapsed one, not a sinus infection.
It was a genuine struggle. Even though they knew it wouldn’t be simple, they were committed to fighting as a team.
Shayla was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin’s sickness.
Tom bought two sterling silver “feather” bracelets and put one on each of their wrists in an attempt to show them what it meant to be brave and face the challenges and obstacles life threw at them.
Then he promised Shayla three things: he would wear the bracelet until she was cancer-free, he would stay at the hospital every night until that happened, and he would continue for as long as she did.
Shayla endured years of blood transfusions, chemotherapy, radiation, painkillers, and other medication during her protracted cancer battle. Her body was unable to handle it all, and as a result, her heart became weak and an emergency defibrillator had to be inserted into her chest.
One day, while Shayla was getting set for chemotherapy, she cried out, “Help me, Dad! That astounds me! ..That surprises me.
Tom went on to describe what had happened. I pulled her in and gave her my tightest hug. It stunned her again and nearly blasted her out of my arms. But I was not willing to let go. I gave her the strongest hug possible in precisely that manner. It quit shocking her as quickly as it had started.
As it turned out, the device’s maker had to recall thousands of them because they were malfunctioning, and Shayla’s chest contained one of them.
More chemotherapy sessions, blood transfusions, a botched bone marrow transplant, and more uncomfortable sleepless nights ensued. But until the very last, Shayla never once considered giving up.
“How in the world was I meant to talk to my sweet kid about this? How would I ever have the courage to tell my daughter that she was going to die? There’s a quote I once heard that kind of captures my thoughts. “Can a guy who is terrified still be brave? He can only be bold at that moment. I had to have courage for HER! Of course, I did have that talk with her, and despite how unbelievable it may sound, it ended up being the most incredible, lovely, magical, and fantastic conversation I have ever had in my life. I sincerely pray you never, ever have to have it. Tom gave a portion.
“Dad, do I still have courage?” she whispered to him.
Then he looked her in the eye and saw right through her. He knew she was sick and weary of fighting and that it was getting to be too much for her, but then he had a terrifying realization. She showed courage for him, not for herself.
Shayla tragically passed away a few days later, but her father will always remember her bravery and strength.
Shayla, rest in peace.
