This is the story of a boy

Eight years ago on this day, a boy turned 16. Sweet 16. One of the biggest birthdays in a teenage boy's life. You're growing out of your awkward stage, your interest in girls is getting higher which works out perfectly because you can finally drive that awesome new truck or car you worked all summer to pay for. Sixteen. A good year. However, for this particular boy, he wouldn't be driving that car or taking the girl out on a date. He was laying in a hospital bed eating gummy bears and sipping on "some brewskies" aka root beer. Some guys would pout and throw a fit about having to spend their sweet sixteen in the hospital and how much life sucked etc. Not this boy. He made every nurse and doctor who walked through his doorway laugh and smile like it was going out of style. No matter how sick he got or how awful things seemed, he managed to smile. He was in the hospital waiting for a heart and double lung transplant. Every day was potential for the life altering surgery. This day came about a month later. This boy got his heart and double lung transplant. The doctors were worried he was to weak and wouldn't have the strength for recovery. He assured them, he wouldn't let them down. They said his new heart was 1/3 the size of his old one. I guess the saying "He has such a big heart" wasn't too far off track. He came out of surgery great and the next few weeks to follow looked promising. This boy knew he would soon be out hunting again, driving his own car and living up his sweet sixteen.  The future was bright and looked for his next big birthday milestones, 18..21...25...

The end of this story is not one most would expect. This boy died a month after his transplant due to pneumonia and some other complications. Some might say this is a sad story and how cut short his life was. That is not the point. This boy would be 24 today, yet I would have to say that he lived a fuller 16 years than anyone has in 24. A saying has stuck with me the past 8 years and it fits him perfectly.
"Tell me how he died."
"I will tell you how he lived." 
So next time you eat a gummy bear or sip some root beer, say a cheers to a boy who lived his 16 years to the fullest.
I love you, Luke. Happy Birthday Big Brother!