Man with terminal illness visits the beach for the first time
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/32JX7IJSF5NZFB7QABENZR43C4.jpg)
A trip to remember for two brothers, all the way from Michigan, after one was diagnosed with lung cancer and given months to live.
"This is my first cane my brother got for me after my first chemotherapy session," Randy Clayton said.
The blue reflective tape was Randy's own personal touch. On the bottom of the cane is also a brake cover from his '79 Harley Sportster.
Back in May of this year, Randy was diagnosed with stage 4B lung cancer. He was originally expected to live six to nine months, but after chemo and radiation, he is now expected to live nine to 12 months.
"For me, it's a dream I wanted since I was 13-15 years old," Randy said.
His final wish was to see the ocean, or in this case, the gulf. It's something he said he's only ever seen on TV.
Thanks to the James Bess Foundation, a wish-granting organization, Randy and his brother Jimmie traveled down to see Panama City Beach's blue water, all expenses paid.
In addition, the James Bess Foundation teamed up with All Things PCB Outreach to help make Randy's wish come true.
"It's a dream come true like I said, I can't stop crying because of what James Bess did for me. It's like, no one has ever done anything like that for me before," Randy said.
The brothers, who at one point hadn't spoken for nearly eight years, now together to make lasting memories; memories of happiness amidst the pain.
For Randy, this trip was a perfect ending he hopes will create an everlasting bond for his brother.
"It's everything I wanted," Randy said.
The James Bess Foundation teamed up with All Things PCB Outreach to help make Randy's wish come true.