True Bravery #3: The Boy Who Went Up Fighting 🔥

Dear Hivers,

It's another week and another episode from the True Bravery Serie — a series where I share inspiring stories and give you countless reasons to be courageous.

After making a review on Clouds, I felt compelled to introduce Zach Sobiech to the series as he was one to show tremendous courage and his story fits perfectly well with the series.

The story of Zach is not as popular surprisingly. A lot of us wouldn't have heard about it if a movie that's based on it wasn't made.

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Who was Zach Sobiech?

Zach was a boy born in 1995 in Minnesota, U.S.A. He was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 14. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma; a bone cancer and throughout his lifetime underwent over 10 surgeries and 24 rounds of chemotherapy.

One major highlight in Zach's story is his personality and his attitude towards the hardship he faced. Regardless of the pain, discomfort and all he went through he made sure to try to keep positive energy so people around him could be happy.

Zack with his family | Photo Source

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This is not an easy thing to do. Have you ever felt hurt, like the world is against you and your life is the worst thing? Try smiling and make others smile and see how difficult it can be.

What is easy is for one to wallow in self-pity and defeat. It requires tremendous courage to stay happy and positive in such times.

Zach was able to keep up this positive attitude daily and it made people around him love him even more.

Zach's major break came during his high school days when his case was pronounced terminal.

In May 2012, he was informed by his doctor he had just about a year to live and that it was unlikely he would make it to his high school graduation.

That didn't crush Zach! In fact, it inspired him. With enormous support from his friends and family, Zach set out to maximize the best use of the time he had left.

It was during this period that he recorded the song titled Clouds. He uploaded it on YouTube in December 2012 and it went viral.
Gaining over 3 million views at the time of his death.

This led to the establishment of the Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund at Children's Cancer Research Fund: a not-for-profit organization focused on raising money to fund research for childhood cancer. In addition to funding research, they also provide support programs for families affected by cancer.

In September 2015, the fund reached $2 million.

Interesting how the positivity and courage from one kid has gone far to not just inspire but help millions of people in The world.

Zach's story also highlights that there are truly those who can love us unconditionally. Despite being proclaimed terminal, His longtime crush still accepted to be his girlfriend, to love and stay by him to the end even though she knew there wasn't any future in it. Even though she'll be left heartbroken when he left, she still stayed.

Zach and girlfriend; Amy Adamle | Photo Source

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Really heartwarming and it goes to show there are people out there and around you, who really do care. We just don't acknowledge it sometimes.

The story will be far from complete if I don't mention Zach's best friend Sammy Brown.

Zack with Sammy Brown | Source: YouTube

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Sammy amongst others was a huge support system for Zach when he was going through treatment. Sammy was Zach's closest friend and one could only imagine the amount of emotional support that accompanied her friendship.

Zach and Sammy along with Reed Raymond came together to form a music group called Firm Handshake under which they realised a song titled Fix Me Up.

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The boy who went up fighting! 🔥

Source

Zach with months to the end of his life achieved what a lot of people are unable to in their whole life and that was because he had the courage — why wouldn't he? With few months to live what did he have to lose?

Well, everything!

But regardless he decided to fight for what he wanted. Now, he is remembered as not the Boy with cancer who went down but the boy with cancer who went up fighting!

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The thing is, we don't have to wait to be on our deathbeds before we summon the courage to take that huge step. You don't have to be told you have just a few weeks, months or years to live before you actually start living and take those actions.

Sometimes we are just existing and not actually living.

In truth, no one is truly promised tomorrow, we all just assume it is there.

I hope this story of Zach inspires you to take that huge step and do the thing you really want to do but have been scared of.

I hope you make that move knowing fully well that: Nothing is promised!

I couldn't help but get emotional writing this as scenes from the movie kept replaying in my head. If you haven't seen the movie Clouds I urge you to do so. I did a review here:
Disney's Clouds Movie Review

Thank you for reading!

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More From True Bravery Series:

1. Even the great Mozart Failed

2. The woman who freed over 800 slaves