Everyone has a story...Zack & Jennifer

I love this story…it’s our first God moment after Preston’s diagnosis. Parents face many obstacles after their child is diagnosed with any illness. A cancer diagnosis requires a balancing act with treatment days, hospital stays, school, last minute sick days….all the while, trying to maintain a steady income to keep the roof over your head. Life moves on even though you want to freeze time until the off chemo day arrives. There isn’t any time to think about what to do about any situation. You move on autopilot and make decisions at a moment’s notice. I can tell you that I had never been “that person” that was able to do anything spontaneously. My life was designed with a calendar of events with only preplanning at least six months in advance. Events are replaced on the calendar with appointment visits. Normalcy is out the window, plans are put on hold, and you live one day at a time with most days living one minute at a time.


One of those moment notice decisions and one minute at a time days came early on as we found the need for a hang out buddy for Preston. We couldn’t have a sitter...No, our 11 year old would not hear of it! I made a quick call to a local church in our area and asked if they could recommend anyone for the job. I explained the situation and the request for the most special person they knew that may be available. While on the phone the lady mentioned the name Zack Dove. She said that if she were going through this, Zack would be the person she would ask. I gave her our number and asked that she have him give us a call. I received a call from Zack and asked this stranger if he would stop by to meet with us. He asked if we would mind if he brought his girlfriend with him. That evening Zack and Jennifer stopped by. Zack said, “Jennifer is a cancer survivor” after introducing us to her. I’m not sure if Zack and Jennifer knew then how much we needed to meet her at that time of the journey (although, they do now). We were thrilled to hear her story and to meet a healthy and vibrant young woman that sat before us cancer free. We only thought we needed a hang out buddy, but God knew that our need for hope and inspiration was much greater. We learned that she is a Non Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor and had a hard time with treatment. Answers to fearful questions from a young cancer survivor were a gift from God through sweet Jennifer. We asked if she was scared, how her friends treated her, did she feel different, did she think she was going to die, did she do okay in school, what we should say to Preston about certain topics, etc. Patiently she answered every one of our questions in a quiet, confident, and loving way. As we finished our discussion, it dawned on me that we hadn’t chatted with Zack about hanging out with Preston. We drilled him next and learned that he was an amazing young man attending a Christian college, attended church, and felt like he was up for the challenge of any situation that may arise with Preston’s treatment. We knew that he was our answered prayer!

Zack began his time with Preston spoiling him just as much as we would do. There were planned activities, trips, and memories made between two buddies. The 1996 Olympics were in Atlanta that year so they attended the events together, they went on fishing trips, trips to anywhere Preston wanted and was able to go. There were some days that they hung out as Preston recovered from treatment with Zack catering to his every need. He allowed Dan & me the opportunity to keep life moving and moments on normalcy that had been lost from the words…”I believe that your son has cancer.” It was much later that Zack and Jennifer married as Preston stood in their wedding, even catching the garter belt! How precious to watch as they began their life together so devoted to one another. It was while attending Jennifer’s 10 year off therapy party that I would take her off to the side and ask more personal questions. She has always given me an honest answer to any question asked. She shared with me that she was thankful that we came into their lives because she knew that hanging out with Preston would give Zack an insight to what she went through as a young child. It is always God’s divine design that holds lessons and answers for his children. Later, Zack and Jennifer would add a very handsome five year old from the Ukraine to their family. William did not speak English and was very shy….not anymore, he is incredibly intelligent, speaks perfect English, accepted Christ as his savior, was baptized, plays soccer, and has two of the most devoted and loving parents a boy could ask for. We told Zack that parenthood should come very easy because Preston put him through the fire before William was thought of! We are praying for them as God walks them through the process of adopting their second child from the Ukraine.

God sent us two special angels that have brought such blessings to our lives. Their families are our family. You can always bet that behind every wonderful, loving, and giving young person is an amazing set of parents! This case is proof of that! We can’t thank them enough for raising them both!

There are moments in our lives that happen with strangers if we only take the opportunity to get to know each other and allow ourselves the time to share a little of us with them. This was one of my moments.

Thank you Zack & Jennifer!