It is now six months later to the day— August 4. London and I are in the middle of the New York trip of our dreams, and life is good. We have been wandering the streets aimlessly, seeing Broadway shows, and eating the most delicious food I have ever tasted. It is beyond anything we ever could have imagined!

London has been responding well to treatment and is most certainly on her way to being cured. The doctors think that within about one and a half to two years, she will be in remission. By far, the best news I have ever heard.

As for me, I will be attending NYU in the fall. I did not want to since London could not be with me like we always planned, but she encouraged me to. She plans to take classes online and join me in the city as soon as she can. All I can say is that I cannot wait for that day!

These past few months have been such a whirlwind for both London and myself. When I think back to the day when my mom told me about London’s diagnosis, I do not think I ever would have thought we would have been where we are now. Although it is in no way ideal, I think London’s leukemia made us both stronger. We have learned so much more about each other, as well as grown immensely as individuals. I feel that sometimes, the bad things that happen in our lives help us to appreciate the good things even more.

The day of my surgery, when I was in recovery and had just woken up, the doctor came in and told me he thought I was a hero for what I did for my friend.

“I’m definitely not a hero,” I told him, “all I did was help a friend who needed me.”

“Ah,” he said, “but don’t you see? That’s just it! Those who do not realize what they are doing is heroic— now those are the most heroic people of them all.”