Just one week before his graduation, a New Zealand teen was diagnosed with Burkitt non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a very aggressive form of cancer.
Class president Jake Bailey was given three weeks to live if he didn't start treatment.
The 18-year-old was told that he wouldn't be able to attend the Christchurch Boys’ High School graduation, but he did, and gave a rousing, emotional speech. Because of the chemotherapy he had been undergoing, the teen threw up before (and after) the speech, but it was his emotional words and powerful deliver that brought tears to his audience's eyes.
He spoke to his peers about being thankful for, and seizing the "now."
“None of us get out of life alive, so be gallant, be great, be gracious, be grateful for the opportunities you have,” he said.
His speech ended with a standing ovation from the crowd, but also a small surprise from his classmates. They spontaneously performed the "Haka," a war cry from the island's native Maori, and then performed the school song. Jake even teared up a little at the end.
Jake shows tremendous bravery in the face of his illness. We wish him a speedy recovery.
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