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 really was a challenge. They were determined to battle as a unit even though they knew it wouldn’t be easy.
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 stopped shocking her just as quickly as it had started, and we rushed to the hospital.
It came out that the manufacturer of the gadget had to recall thousands of them due to malfunctions, and one of them was found in Shayla’s chest.
There were more blood transfusions, chemotherapy sessions, unsuccessful bone marrow transplants, and unpleasant restless nights. But Shayla never for one moment thought about giving up until the very end.
“How in the world was I supposed to discuss this with my sweet child? I don’t think I could ever bring myself to tell my kid that she was going to die. I once heard a quote that kind of sums up how I feel. “Is it possible for a scared guy to be brave? At that point, he can only be audacious. I needed to be brave for her! Yes, I did talk to her, of course, and though it sounds unbelievable, it turned out to be the most amazing, delightful, magical, and fantastic conversation I have ever had in my life. I genuinely hope it’s never necessary for you to have it. Tom contributed a bit.
“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.
