The starlit sky enveloped the lights of the beach town below, as a faint glimmer of dawn emerged on the steep mountain road in Maui upcountry. It was on this very road that an unexpected encounter would transform a routine workout into a life-altering lesson in resilience.
As a tourist seeking tranquility after the bustling beach scene, I found myself huffing up the steep incline, determined to get my daily cardio fix. On my third lap, I noticed a man with a rucksack over his shoulders and head covered in a cooling cap. We exchanged greetings and continued on our ways.
The next day, I saw him again on the same stretch. Curious about our common interest, I stopped and introduced myself as a tourist in search of upcountry serenity. I asked if I could join him on his walk and he quickly agreed. His name was Steve and he had lived at the bottom of the road for many years after retiring and moving from the Midwest with his wife. We began chatting about the daily walks and the virtue of the steep road as a tool to keep us young and active. As I delved into his motivation for the daily ritual, he replied “I was diagnosed with brain cancer and the doctors told me I had less than a month to live … That was five years ago.”
The cooling cap hinted at a struggle with cancer, but nothing prepared me for his story. To outlive such a grim diagnosis felt nothing short of miraculous. Brain cancer is a cruel and brutal disease, often destroying one’s hope. Yet here he was, living proof that even against the darkest prognosis, resilience can shine through.
I said “Oh wow, what did you do to overcome that diagnosis?” He responded, “The first thing I did was find a new doctor. I found a doctor who offered encouragement and was determined to find solutions to help me live, rather than help me die.”
Steve and I walked the upcountry slopes together four of the next seven days and he told me much more about his story, as well as plenty of tour guide tips about upcountry. Following the cancer diagnosis, Steve said “After overcoming the initial shock, I felt at peace if I only had a month left. But I also knew that I wasn’t ready to give up. This cancer might take me in a month, but I was ready to fight until the bitter end for a different result. It wasn’t easy. I asked the doctors to tell me everything I could possibly do to improve my chance of survival. Then I did exactly what they told me.”
When I asked what he attributed his survival to, he replied “Amazing doctors and drastic changes in lifestyle.” He explained that he underwent brain surgery soon after the diagnosis, followed by a long and difficult recovery. Further therapies continued well after his recovery. As for his lifestyle, he said spirituality, mindfulness meditation and an obsession with eating healthy food. Steve couldn’t have chosen a more healing backdrop in one of the most breathtaking places on earth.
When it came to eating healthy, Steve was following a Mediterranean diet of fruit, veggies, whole grain, healthy fats, and cutting out added sugar. He clarified that he was “not an absolutionist”, occasionally indulging in a hunk of cake or slurp of ice cream. For exercise, he kept a strict ritual: six days a week, rucksack strapped on, climbing that steep hill before dawn. His doctor had ordered him to avoid direct sunlight, so he walked in the quiet twilight, chasing resilience with every step.
Steve told a fascinating story of survival and determination. His influence helped inspire me to also give up added sugar (mostly successful two years and counting) and make other meaningful lifestyle changes. Even now, whenever I think of him, I’m reminded how lucky I was to cross paths with such a remarkable soul.
I personally know several people currently fighting brain cancer, and many others who fought bravely until the very end. Just like Steve, every one of these people is an extraordinary hero. I hope that sharing Steve’s story might inspire others in the same way it has inspired me.