I still remember the day my world stood still, it was in 2003 when a very close friend of mine passed away from Cancer. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in high school and we were in our summer break, he had gone to Ecuador to visit his family, when a mutual friend sent me an AIM (remember when AOL instant message was cool?) and he told me that Edgar was being transported to New York because while in Ecuador they had found a tumor the size of a tangerine in his brain. My immediate reaction was denial, I was so upset with my friend I told him that it was not funny and he shouldn’t play that way.
My biggest regret during this time was never going to his house to visit him. He had a full ride scholarship to a university to play soccer, he was really good, matter of fact he was amazing. He never made it, 6 months after being diagnosed he passed away. I was in school when I found out, that’s when my world stood still. I took the bus home everyday, that day the ride home felt so long, I saw everything around me move but yet my world was still. I couldn’t believe it, my friend was gone.
To this day I cry every time I think of him, there are days I wake up missing him, wishing he was still alive so I could call him up to get together and discuss life over coffee. I am crying now as I write this post, I wonder if the wound will ever heal? Will things ever get better? Will I ever stop missing him?
His brother is the same age as me, he was in my home room in high school and I remember I couldn’t look at him for the longest time after his brother passed away, he reminded me so much of him. Jessi is such a great person, one I admire and wish I talked to more often. He started a non-profit in honor of his brother Edgar Sanchez Foundation:
About the organization:
Founded in 2009, The Edgar Sanchez Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that is hoping to help battle the fight against cancer. Our organization was developed in the memory of Edgar Sanchez, an enthusiastic young man whose life was cut short due to a brain tumor in 2003.
Founders, Jessi Sanchez and Othon Gomez, have dedicated their spare time to create an organization where everyone can help make a difference. Jessi is the late brother of Edgar and Othon was a close friend. In order to create a successful organization, it was their idea to create fundraising events in which the participants would be able to enjoy themselves as well as contribute to a great cause. What better way to raise funds than through an annual soccer tournament; the sport of choice for Edgar Sanchez.
My only advice is love life, every second of it, even if its hard, even when its painful and even when you don’t understand why things happen, love every second of it because you will never again get the chance to live it. You have heard we only get one life to live, some get a longer life than others but we all get one.
-A
Adventures 
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