My hero is 3 years old. His name is Dominic, and he is the bravest person I have ever met. Nearly eight months ago he was diagnosed with Leukemia. I was in disbelief. The day before we had been playing soccer as we always did. My first thoughts were selfish; the little boy that had been like a little brother to me was suffering and all I thought of were the ways it was going to affect me. I wasn’t prepared to have to go through any emotional let downs, I wasn’t prepared to love someone that might be taken away from me; I was scared to be hurt.

It was at least two weeks before I was brave enough to visit him in the hospital, his skin was so pale and his little body looked small and helpless in the large bed. When I entered the room his eyes lit up, and I felt guilty for not visiting him sooner. His diminutive voice rambled on with as much enthusiasm as always but he was much weaker. I could tell that he wanted to play with me, and run around as he always did, but he was tied down by IV’s.

His mom was sitting with him on the bed and stroking his hair, she didn’t look sad, or scared she just wanted to keep her son happy. When I went to leave, Dominic cried relentlessly, how lonely he must have been, missing all his friends. I wanted to stay with him longer but I didn’t want his mom to see me cry, how could she stay strong, and I couldn’t?

After spending Christmas in the hospital, it wasn’t much longer before Dominic was allowed to go back home, although that didn’t mean that the battle was over… it was far from. I kept thinking about how unfair it was that such a perfect little boy was being put through such pain. How many needles did he endure? How many nights did he have to sleep in an unfamiliar windowless room? How much longer would it be before he could play outside?

As time passed he became stronger, and although the scars will never heal, I still can’t believe that a little boy was able to teach so many people to be brave through his bravery. Everyday he smiles, when so many others would be crying. As he enters in on his last round of chemo, I pray that his spirits will stay as high as ever. Dominic is my hero because he taught me how to be brave, and because of him I will never be scared to stand by someone I love.