Dear Editor,

A benefit that was successful on so many ways:

…friends congregating to have fun

…the desire to help others in need was in high gear

…we all learned a valuable lesson about how fragile life is

…great food

…lots of smiles

You can never be prepared for those three dreadful words, “you have cancer.”

It changes you and your family forever. In my case, I learned how powerful compassion can be. This benefit blossomed from a few kind words between a softball player and her coach. As both ladies struggled to find meaning of why their fathers were so ill and how much longer would they have them in their lives. This bond began a magical softball season that ended with a wonderful, caring softball team, friends and a community helping my family. The amount of contributions from everyone was astounding. People donated time, money, food, music and especially compassion. It really makes you feel special when you are helped in this magnitude. The late Coach, Bubba Coleman and I, always coached our wrestlers to never give up as long as your in the game, you never know what can happen. I feel so blessed to have been there for my benefit. I am going to be around a while longer and I hope I can honor God and everyone’s hard work.

We all have misfortunes in our lives, divorces, illness, death, etc. The way we survive these down times depends on who we give our troubles to. We can’t do it by ourselves. God is waiting for us to ask Him for help and in my case, He created a miracle.

I got to climb to the top of the bleachers all by myself and sit and watch the whole benefit in action (the rain didn’t stop anyone) and I know that I was not the only person with a huge smile on my face.

For the first time since I heard those three dreadful words, I had a calming sense that everything was going to be fine, from bills getting paid, to my illness.

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart to everyone that was involved in changing me and my family’s lives in such a positive way. I promise to keep fighting like a champion and to never, never, never give up.

God Bless You All.

Jesse Outward

and family

St. Clairsville