I still
remember the last outing I went on with Mr. Vivian. He took me ice- skating
with his two daughters, Hope and Hannah, and quizzed us on Washington Redskins
trivia the entire drive home. The Redskins were just one of Mr. Vivian’s many
passions, which ranged from sports to the Civil War to coaching his daughters’
softball teams. Living just three doors down the street from me and being the
father of my best friend, Mr. Vivian and his hilarious, warm personality mark
the earliest memories of my childhood. Our families were incredible friends from
the start.
I also still remember the night my
parents told me at the dinner table that Mr. Vivian had been diagnosed with cancer.
As a 5th grader, I didn’t really understand the magnitude of the
situation, but I sure knew that this wasn’t good. However, as Mr. Vivian
underwent treatment, his enthusiasm for life didn’t falter in the slightest. He
continued to be the radiant, goofy dad that came on all our field trips and
played basketball with us outside. Mrs. Vivian, Hope, and Hannah also were
pillars of strength, embodying bravery and optimism every step of the way. The
Vivian family has never ceased to amaze me regarding their ability to get
through difficult times.
I cannot
think of anything that has ever been more difficult to grasp than finding out
Mr. Vivian’s cancer had spread and would be terminal. Mr. Vivian was put on
hospice in his home. Throughout this battle, the Vivian family continued to be
united and unbelievably strong. This was not a situation that Hope, a 6th
grader, Hannah, a 3rd grader, and Mrs. Vivian could’ve ever been
prepared for, but they went through each and every day with grace and bravery.
And Mr. Vivian exhibited this bravery as well. I remember visiting him as he
laid in bed in their living room, and despite all that he was experiencing, he
was still cracking jokes to me about my dog and calling his daughters by their
nicknames as he always did. He acted with a level of courage I have never seen matched.
On May 9th,
2006, Mr. Vivian passed away. I will never forget watching my best friend Hope,
a 6th grader at the time, fearlessly stand in front of church full
of people and speak beautiful words about her relationship with her dad. The
impact that Mr. Vivian made on the lives of everyone in our close-knit
community was so incredibly evident. Although Mr. Vivian is missed immensely
every single day, the values and outlook on life that he instilled in his
family and friends live on, and his presence is constantly felt.
Hope,
Hannah, and Mrs. Vivian continue to the best of friends with my family. Two
summers ago, the three of them moved out to Colorado, a place that they always
loved visiting with Mr. Vivian. The fact that they made this move away from the
place they had always lived is just another example of their astonishing
bravery. On the day I hugged them goodbye and they started driving across the country,
I could only think of Mr. Vivian watching them with pride and a huge grin on
his face. The path has not always been easy, but the Vivians have been the
strongest people I know from the start, and they are greatly admired for that.
They have truly shown me what it means to be brave.
I Relay to
find a cure. No one should ever have to experience losing a loved one to this illness.
Brilliant people are at work researching, and I truly believe that a cure is
somewhere out there waiting to be discovered. Together, we support one another
through good times and bad. Together, we lovingly remember those we have lost
and reflect on the lasting impact they have made on our lives. Together, we
will Relay and finish the fight.
With RelayLove,
Entertainment Committee
