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CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A Virginia boy is fighting for his life, but he's lucky enough to have his "soulmate" by his side.
At just 8 years old, David Spisak Jr. has already experienced more than most people do in a lifetime — he's on his fourth battle with cancer. But he's also found what many spend a lifetime hoping for: true love.
David received his initial leukemia diagnosis when he was 2 and has since received two bone marrow transplants and undergone extensive chemotherapy, ABC News reports. He was able to ward off the disease three times before doctors found it had returned in March.
With the fourth diagnosis, David's parents realized he'd be isolated from the life every child deserves. He wouldn't be able to attend school throughout treatments, which meant he wouldn't have the chance to see his friends.
They decided that instead of keeping David from living in an effort to save his life, they'd let him live his abbreviated life to the fullest.
"We just decided it was time to give him a childhood," David's mother, Amber Spisak, told ABC. "If the outcome was going to be the same, if he was going to continue to get cancer, we decided that if he wasn't going to win, that we would give him everything right now."
Doctors told the Spisaks that without treatment, their son would likely have just weeks to live. But by September, David was doing well, so they decided to enroll him in second grade.
That's where David met Ayla, the girl who would become love of his life. When David was too sick to continue going to school, his classmates began writing him letters.
His parents began noticing multiple letters from Ayla expressing how much she loved and missed him, as well as messages from other students who made sure to let David know how much his "girlfriend" cared about him.
"That's where we sort of put together that this was something more," said Spisak. "He's a typical boy, it really took us off guard. He said, 'Actually, she's kind of like the real Snow White because she's so kind, especially to me because she loves me."
When David's parents asked him how he knew he loved Ayla, he told them, "My heart," according to WKTR News.
The Spisaks called Ayla's parents to arrange an outing for the children, and David was able to ask his love to join him at the bowling alley for their first date. In true gentleman form, David showed up armed with flowers and a teddy bear, ABC reports.
The Spisaks watched in awe as Ayla stayed by David's side throughout the entire outing — pushing him in his wheelchair and helping him with his bowling ball. Spisak said her son felt comfortable and safe with 7-year-old Ayla and that he wouldn't let them help because she was looking out for him 100 percent.
At one point, David even did the seemingly impossible — stunning his parents as he stood up from his chair and bowled on his feet, according to ABC.
"He was just so determined for her," his mother said. "Once we realized that this wasn't the typical elementary school crush, once we saw this heartfelt connection that they have, we were so happy that she came into his life and that he came to her life for some reason."
The pair ended their date with a kiss on the cheek.
"We never thought he was going to ever experience this because his time is so limited, but we saw it and it's real," she said.
