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MEBANE, North Carolina — A man who was recently diagnosed with cancer is using the time as an opportunity to fulfill some of his biggest dreams.
Brad Joyner graduated from high school one year ago, and shortly after, was diagnosed with brain cancer. Since then, he has created his life list — a list of extraordinary things he wants to accomplish in his lifetime.
His list? Swim with sharks; ride in a 1967 Shelby Ford Mustang; and meet the star of his favorite show, “Breaking Bad,” Bryan Cranston.
Because of his situation, Joyner has crammed these experiences into a few short months. This summer, he went to the Florida Keys and swam with sharks, and last month he got to ride in not just one, but two Shelby Mustangs.
Joyner has shared his experiences on his Facebook page, where he has expressed gratitude to God and those who have prayed for him.
“With everything that has happened to me in the past couple of months, I honestly can’t believe I have cancer. And people ask me, ‘How do you do it? How do you live with all the pain?’ I look and tell them I look past the pain and pray. The doctors are doing the best they can to control the pain. But like I and tell everyone, all I can do is pray,” he wrote. “I believe that all of this happened because of everyone's thoughts and prayers.”
For his most far-fetched goal, he recruited help from his Facebook friends and strangers on the Internet. His family created the hashtag, #BreakingBrad, hoping to get Cranston’s attention, and it worked.
Saturday, Joyner spoke with Cranston over video chat, but the real touching moment comes just before that when Joyner’s mother Aimee Pettigrew tells him about the arranged conversation. Watch the video to see his emotional and touching reaction.
