Pat Evans, Justine and her twin daughters
MINNEAPOLIS -- Every day the news is filled with stories about people who have their lives changed in an instant. The majority are people we don't even know.
But not always.
Monday, the celebrated Twin Cities best selling author Vince Flynn revealed on his website that he is engaged in the fight of his life. Last November, he was diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer. A frightening diagnosis at any age, but especially scary for a guy who is just 44.
I recall interviewing Vince after he had written his first novel. He was a guest on our morning show, KARE 11 Today. Attractive and obviously smart, Flynn was dating a woman he would eventually marry and have a family with. I'm thinking about her, too, these days.
And then there is my friend Justine. She is the producer of our KARE News @ 4 show. A month before delivering healthy twin girls, her 3-year old boy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
As Justine told me at the time, "when Axel got sick, I had the fleeting thought it might be leukemia, but then just as quickly, decided 'that can't happen to us.'"
But it did. Young Axel is also in the fight of his life. So far he's winning, although he is suffering plenty. Powerful chemotherapy drugs that are killing the cancer have side effects. The poor little guy is currently hospitalized with mouth sores so painful he can barely swallow.
I think about Axel, this courageous little boy, and his Mom and Dad every day. And quite frankly, I am praying for them, and I'm not alone. There's a lot of love going their way from many people. Justine is sharing the families experiences on Axel's CaringBridge website.
Lately, whenever I'm tempted to complain about something, I am reminded of how things can change in an instant.
Pity that other people's pain has caused me to be more grateful for today.