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SALT LAKE CITY — The tone of Hunter Hansen's journal entry after his mom died was the disconnected one of someone who has seen too much suffering in his short life.
"As many people know I lost my mom, she went back to live in Heaven on Sept 18th, and on Sept 27th my dad and I found out that my Bone Marrow Transplant didn't destroy the cancer and it is back," he wrote in his journal on Sept. 29. He said he and his father were hoping and praying there were better days ahead.
His mom, Cherilyn Hansen, died suddenly of a heart attack on Sept. 18. She was 37 years old. She left behind her husband, Phillip Hansen, and her two sons, Phillip Jr. and Hunter, who is fighting a battle of his own.
Hunter was diagnosed with AML leukemia in July 2011 and was being treated at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City when his mother died. He had been declared cancer-free on Jan. 6 after a round of chemotherapy. The cancer returned in March, and another round of chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants followed throughout the summer.
It wasn't until Sept. 27, less than two weeks after his mom's death, that Hunter and his father found out the bone marrow transplant had not worked — his leukemia was back. And on Oct. 2, he found out he would likely be leaving this life too soon, as had Cherilyn Hansen.
His cancer had progressed to the point that it was no longer treatable, he wrote in his journal. It's not an easy thing to hear, especially for someone who has experienced so little of what the world has to offer. It was scary, at first, thinking of what he would miss.
"It hurt me to know that I may not live to be old and experience what my dad and mom did," he said.
He can accept what is coming, though, because his mom will be there to meet him when his time comes.
"I was scared until I had a really good talk with my dad," he said. "I know that my mom will be there to get me, but not until I have had my fun here first. I have so many things I want to do with my brother and my dad."
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is sending Hunter and his family, who currently live in Wyoming, on a Disney Cruise. And the boy isn't missing out on any of life's smaller pleasures.
"Dad is going to take me fishing this weekend if the weather is good. I haven't been fishing for a very long time and I can't wait," he said. "I know that my Heavenly Father has a plan for me but I hope he will grant me some extra time to do all the things I want to do."
