In seventh grade cross country, our coaches assigned everyone with the task of running at least 30 minutes a day over the weekend.
On a Saturday morning, I was running along, and I see a dad and his son slowly jogging towards me. I get closer and realize it’s my classmate, Michael Gustafson. I didn’t know him at the time and did not know his story, but I knew he went to Kennedy. As we passed each other in what could have been an awkward silence, Michael looked up and was SO excited to see me despite us basically being strangers. He was clearly drained from running, on top of the powerful medications coursing through his body, but he paused everything to simply be a friend.
I felt this rush of comfort, peace, and authentic connection with a boy I had never met.
That was the kind of power Mikey’s smiles hold.
His gesture was small, but was not uncommon for him—he treated everyone like a friend and did so with such authenticity. His smile meant more to me than I ever thought it would. I think about this moment pretty regularly for a few reasons. On the following Monday, most people joked about how they didn’t run like our coaches asked because “what’s the point?” Meanwhile, Michael, who was probably under immense physical and mental distress was out there giving it his all. This was one of many testaments to Michael’s character in the face of adversity.
He persisted through horrible circumstances and always managed to slip a smile even in some of the most painful moments. Mikey taught me a lot of things, and learning to smile during tough times sure was one of them. This story is small and seems simple, but has imprinted my life with his strength and courage.
Smiling holds so much power in our lives, and I wish we could all smile at each other in the way Mikey smiled at me. His love and friendship persists even though it has been nearly 6 years without him in this world. Smile today. Be a friend.
Join me in the fight to find the cure for pediatric brain cancer and make Mikey’s master plan a reality. #mighty4mikey #mikeymemory
Caitlin Holzer was born and raised in Naperville and is a student at Montana State University studying Psychology. She went to Kennedy with both Bridget and Michael, but didn’t really get to know them until 8th grade when she became close with Bridget. Their friendship carried on. In January 2018 Caitlin honored Mikey’s memory by shaving her head on his birthday. The fundraiser raised both money and awareness. Caitlin continues to be an advocate for Swifty Foundation, her friend Michael’s Master Plan and the pediatric cancer community. You can watch Caitlin’s video here
