Last updated on July 19th, 2023 at 12:43 pm
A beloved grandpa made a wonderful gesture for his grandson, flying for the first time in more than a decade so that he could surprise him for his last chemotherapy session.
Gabe Morris, 26, from Dallas, Texas, had been fighting cancer since January 2023, when doctors discovered a tumor that turned out to be Stage 4 non-Hodgkins Burkitt lymphoma.
Due to the severity of Gabe’s condition, he immediately underwent treatment, which saw him have four different chemotherapy sessions in five months.
During this time, Gabe was given loving support by his grandpa, Paul Sharp, 92, who lives in Layton, Utah.
But the pair’s separation had been tough, Gabe’s wife, Paige, 26, said, as her husband’s treatment happened so fast that a lot of his family members, who live out of state, were not able to visit.
But Paul desperately wanted to be there to celebrate Gabe’s final treatment, and so he liaised with Gabe’s brother, who lives in Utah, to plan the surprise.
The flight was only the second time Paul had flown in more than two decades, having last travelled in an airplane 13 years ago, family members said.
On April 29, Paul entered his grandson’s hospital room for the big surprise, before Gabe undertook his last session of chemotherapy the following day.
The 26-year-old was then able to ring the hospital’s bell, signaling the successful end to someone’s cancer treatment.
Gabe will have his final PET scan on May 24, which he and his family hope will give him the final all-clear.
Paige said: “Gabe has not been able to see a lot of his family the past few months since they are all in Utah and all his treatments happened so fast and they were in Dallas.
“I also love his grandpa because he reminds me of my grandpa, who passed away a few months ago, and whom I was really close with – so I am so grateful to have married Gabe and get to have another grandpa.
“Grandparents are truly a blessing and gift.
“Their love is deep and you can feel it the second you see them or talk on the phone with them.
“It has been a super long and hard few months so having him come made it even more of a special and exciting time to be finishing treatment.”