Chad's Memories

Here is the story I wrote in 7th grade...

The date was around the summer of 1997. The place was in Manalapan, New Jersey. Everything seemed perfect until...

When Chad was at camp, he had no fun. He simply hated it. There was no air conditioning, no fun kids, always boring!

Chad was a nice kid. He was friendly, caring, and most of all cheerful.

When Chad got back from camp, he looked forward to his cousins being over his house. Matt and Lauren were being baby-sat by Chad’s sister.

Chad, Matt, Lauren, and Ken, Chad’s brother, would always have fun... especially when Chad’s neighbors were home. They would always have loads of fun with Kristina and Steve. All were best friends.

Everything was perfect until Kristina got cancer. Kristina was always so cheerful, so happy, so not ready for this at the age of ten. At age ten she was diagnosed with cancer. Chad was only eight at the time, so he really didn’t understand what was happening. He was fine with it really; he had no clue that his best friend had a very sad sickness, so he went along with it.

Kristina was very optimistic about it. She thought everything was going to be okay. Anytime Chad was to play with Kristina he never heard her complain, and she would always see the bright side of things.

So for the next year, Kristina made her way through, almost cancer-free. At that point Kristina got sick. She got even worse then when she started.

When Chad went to the beach for vacation, he had know idea what was yet to come.

The family got a call on September the fourth that Kristina had passed away the previous day. Soon after that call, Chad started crying hysterically. Who could blame him, after all, a 12 year-old just passed away from cancer.

At the funeral, it was better for Chad and his family. Chad felt better about things. He knew now that Kristina was no longer suffering.

“Even though Kristina is gone, she isn’t on earth suffering,” Chad thought at the funeral, “I’ll just remember the good times for as long as I can remember.”

Until the day Chad dies, he will never forget Kristina Marie Ingato.

- Chad Latawiec

Today, looking back at my friend, I realize how much courage she had. Looking back at her life, I admire her more and more. I think about the times we were together and how amazingly optimistic she was. I could never imagine being in her shoes, but I know that knowing her touched my life in many ways; it helped me to appreciate every breath I take, and everything I do... to do it for Kristina. Kristina had a large impact on my life. It was a reminder that life is too short to worry about things. Just enjoy it because it will go by very fast. So even though she is gone physically, she will always be with me in my heart, mind, and spirit.

-Chad (October 2003)