Commentary - Cancer: The Thief of Loved Ones Published March 2, 2016 By Airman 1st Class Jessica Weissman Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The transition from growing up living within a few miles of your family and closest friends to starting your military career thousands of miles away can be difficult for some incoming Airmen, including myself. The idea of joining the Air Force was always in the back of my mind, but I was hesitant to join because I did not want to leave my family or my friends. When I finally got the courage to join, my family and friends supported me more than I ever even dreamed. I felt invincible knowing they were behind me every step of the way. My support system was strong, and I was motivated to conquer basic training. All was right in the world of Jessie. All except my best friend. In November 2014, seven months before I left for basic military training, my best friend Michael Alexander Young, or Alex, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of testicular cancer. He received the news a month before his 21st birthday. Although he was diagnosed well before I left for boot camp, it was still hard to complete each day without wondering if he was doing okay, but I received daily letters from my family updating me on his battle. In August, I graduated BMT and was headed off to technical training school. I talked with him every chance I could. We would text, call and even FaceTime. He was always positive, he always motivated me to stay resilient and he always told me to keep my head in the game. His motivation was the key to my success in school. Throughout August and the beginning of September, he seemed to be doing well. He bought a motorcycle, a new truck and he even bought a surprise shotgun for his gun-enthusiast father, Todd. However, things started to take a turn for the worse. In the middle of September 2015, Alex was placed into hospice. Throughout the month, he had many visitors, but I was not one of them. Not being able to see Alex started to take a toll on my training. It was hard for me to focus on my schoolwork when my mind was lost in Clinton, Indiana, his hometown. Facebook updates and texts ensured me that Alex was remaining positive, was enjoying his time left on Earth and was not afraid to meet his Father in Heaven. Wednesday, October 21, 2015, came too soon. That morning, I found myself unable to sleep. I reached across my bed for my phone to check the time, 12:43 a.m. A time I will never forget. Though, it wasn't the only thing on my screen. A message from Michael caught my attention. It read: "call me when you wake up please." I instantly got nauseous. Without hesitation, I called Michael. He answered the phone in a sleepless and somber voice. "Hey," he said softly. "Hey, what is going on? Why did you text me in the middle of the night? Is everything okay?" I asked impatiently. There was a hesitation that seemed to last forever, and all I could hear was Michael let out a quick-pulsing sigh, as if he were holding back tears. "Jessie, Alex is gone," was all he said. I was speechless. My jaw dropped in shock, and I began to weep. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. "You're joking right? Please, tell me you're joking," I said vacantly. "No, Jess, I am sorry," he said delicately. "Todd just called me. He told me he was with Alex all night, and was holding him as he went home to Heaven." Alex's last words were, "Dad, I'm going." Immediately, memories of us together filled my mind. The baseball game where we first met, visiting him in the hospital and talking with him in his last few days are things I will always remember. Just a few days before he passed away, we talked about me visiting him after I graduated tech school. We talked about relationships and we talked about having a drink to finally celebrate his 21st birthday together. Although I wasn't able to hug him during my visit, I did go to his burial site and talk with him, just like I promised. Gaining a new best friend means you always have someone there to talk to about your problems and someone who will always laugh with you at your silly, not-so-funny, jokes. Losing your best friend means you will always have someone watching over you from Heaven and ensuring you live a high-quality life. Rest easy, my dear friend.