Drake Medinger is one of the bravest boys you’ll ever meet. Now 10 years old, Drake was first diagnosed with leukemia in September 2012. Since then he has had to endure spinal taps, blood transfusions, chemotherapy, and surgeries – things no young child should ever have to go through.
In March of last year, his cancer finally went into remission and he was taken off chemotherapy. Then, six months later, came more heartbreaking news – he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had to begin his fight all over again.
Watching Drake endure all of this has been nearly unbearable for his mom, Jessica, but she has stood by his side and helped uphold him through it all.
On Monday she shared a picture of her young son as he struggled, and what she posted with it has made this photo go viral.
“For anyone battling cancer or enduring chemotherapy. For anyone going through this horrible disease. It is about to get real, real hard and real quick,” she started. “The picture I’m posting is from this morning, and before you scream and cry ‘why would she post a picture of him in a pull up, the indecency’, well 1. It doesnt show more than swimming jammers would and 2. Because life is not always politically correct and pretty, it is real. Life isn’t pretty, and cancer destroys a person.”
She described how Drake is often unable to control his bathroom habits because of everything he’s been through and said he is skin and bones because it is a struggle to get him to eat even one green bean for dinner.
She then wrote about how her young son sleeps with her every night because he is terrified of what might happen in the night.
“He is afraid of something happening and being alone,” she wrote, “and by something I mean dying.”
Jessica said Drake often asks her if he will be able to see his dad in heaven if he dies, a question that breaks her heart to hear, but one that is unavoidable in their situation. Just last week, Drake had to take 44 chemo pills in 24 hours, even though it was difficult for him to keep them down.
“This is him telling me, ‘mommy, I’m not going to make it.’” the heartbreaking post continued. “This is him not wanting to be touched, because it hurts too much, and using morphine to get through his day. This is him telling me he is scared and thinks he won’t see his 11th birthday. This is him and me, telling him that I will continue to fight for him when he can’t. This is him and me, and our world.”
The difficult post has resonated with people all over the world and has been shared over 67,000 times in one day. Seeing the strength this young boy emits in the midst of one of the darkest situations he could be in and the love this mom has for her son has touched many lives and inspired countless others.
“From the moment I found out I was pregnant till future forever, he has been my reason for life,” Jessica finished her post. “He is my smile, my love, my heartbeat. He is also my tears, my heart ache, my frowns. He is my life.”
If you would like to help this inspiring family in their battle against cancer, you can visit their YouCaring page.
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