I basically sobbed through this whole thing. Not like, I need a few tissues, more like, give me a roll of toilet paper I can't breathe. I'm glad I read it and I'm glad I didn't try to read it back when I first got it... Don't know how 11/12 year old me would've dealt with hearing all that he went through. Actually I probably would've handled it better than I'm handling it now... It's just the worst. :( Miss you and love you :(
(EDIT: After making my review on today's date, I didn't realize it is the date of Michael's passing. Instant chills, how crazy!!)
One day I was going through a "millennial mixtape" music playlist and the parody boyband '2ge+her' came on. Instantly I remembered how much I loved the MTV movie in middle school. Upon searching to see where the stars were today after the era, I was shocked to discover the actor for "QT" passed away in 2001. With further research on what happened exactly, I saw the actor himself dealt with a long battle of childhood cancer and this book outlines the timeline of his journey from diagnosis to survival in the 90s.
The book is outlined in a diary format with excerpts from his grandmother's entries and combination of Michael's own recollections of certain events. It goes into the many emotions family members face when a child is diagnosed with cancer. One thing that stands out is Michael had a very determined spirit to keep his hopes up in the face of death. After going through not one but two bouts of cancer, at his young age he was determined to raise money for research and support of finding a cure for cancer so nobody could go through the torment he went through ever again.
The book is mainly dedicated to a friend he made in treatment who was just as strong willed as him but sadly passed away. There are photos of family, hospital procedures, and news articles documented in the book as well. Along with his positive outlook, Michael went above and beyond raising thousands of dollars for his foundation. Unfortunately, Michael passed away to secondary respiratory complications (after this book was published) Even though this book is now over 20 years old from the time I am making this review today, I highly recommend reading as this is a unique legacy this actor left behind (upon checking his foundation, it looks like it is still going strong to this day!) Also this book is beneficial for any family dealing with childhood cancer that needs to see there is always light at the end of the tunnel!
Michael was a member of a fictional boyband 2gether. He was the "powerpuff"of the group. And it was a joke that in the show he was dying of a liver disease. This book was written years before he got with the men of 2gether. Written by his grandmother it takes you on the tale of a boy who's life was turned upside down overnight. His journey to that point in his young life will make you joyful for his triumphs, angry at the ignorance of people and sad and devastated when he is hurt or sick. This book made me cry on a 4 hour flight to California some years ago. I picked it up about 8 years later and read the whole book in a week because I had to take a break to cry. Most of all he's inspirational. The view he has on the world will throw you for a loop. It made me laugh made me cry and made me angry. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who needs an inspiration.