This is my son’s friend, Jared. Before anyone makes jokes—know this:
Jared has been quietly locked in a battle many of us would crumble under. He’s been fighting lung cancer, and there was a time we thought we might lose him. But he’s still here. And right now, he is rising.
The Fight Nobody Sees
When most people hear “cancer,” they imagine hospital rooms, harsh treatments, painful regimens, and long, dark nights. For Jared, that’s been his reality. The chemotherapy. The scans. The fatigue. The fear. All of it.
Over the months, his body withered. His arms shrank — now measuring just 8¼ inches in circumference. His legs, barely over 12 inches. His body fat? Down to zero. His frame lay almost bare — without strength, without energy, without the muscle and tone nearly all of us take for granted.
Friends and acquaintances might make quick jokes or comments. “Where did he go?” they might ask. “Did he quit working out?” They might assume he’s unhealthy by choice, or lost drive. They might think he’s just “small.” But none of that touches on the truth of what Jared has endured.
From the Edge to a New Beginning
In the darkest stretches, many hours were spent in tears, alone. Some days he couldn’t even muster the strength to lift a cup. The disease, the treatments, the side effects — they robbed him not just of his body, but of identity, of confidence, of hopes he once held.
Yet through it all, Jared fought. Not always loudly, not always visibly — but with the kind of grit that only comes when you’ve peered into the abyss and refused to stay there.
Recently, doctors finally gave him a reprieve: he’s cleared to begin exercising again. It’s a small victory, but one that feels enormous for someone who has seen his body stripped down to nothing.
Rebuilding from Zero
I’ve taken him under my wing. We’re starting from the very beginning. Every session, every movement, every repetition — they’re all milestones.
He’s not just lifting weights again. He’s lifting spirit. Healing confidence. Reclaiming what was stolen.
We’ll begin with mobility, flexibility, and light resistance. Watch him relearn how to move with control and purpose. Watch him feel the burn again — that raw reminder that he’s alive, that he still has fight in him.
His goals are not about aesthetics, not about vanity. They are about recovery, strength regained, hope rediscovered.
The Power of Words & Encouragement
Jared — and everyone at Body Alive who’s been walking this road with him — is deeply moved by the encouragement he’s already received. Simple messages, kind words, a “you got this” — they carry far more weight than one might think.
So if you’ve ever doubted the power of your voice, this is a reminder: your words matter. Your support matters. Even if you don’t know Jared personally, your kindness becomes part of his armor.
What’s Ahead
This is not a brief snapshot or a feel-good headline. This is a journey — one that will have setbacks, perseverance, breakthroughs, and unexpected turns. I’ll be sharing progress updates, raw moments, victories (big and small), doubts, and the resurgence of belief.
So don’t scroll past. Stick around. This is a story of survival, love, grit, and resurrection. And it’s nowhere near over.