Sammy Hits a Homerun
A Story of an Eight-Year-Old Boy with a Brain Tumor
by
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The camera that took the pictures looked like a long, fat tunnel with a sliding bed. I really thought it was kind of cool looking. Although I felt a little afraid in there all by myself, the nurse had given me some headphones that played music. The camera made knocking noises so I was glad to have the music to listen to. It took about an hour, but my Mom and Dad promised they would not leave. The pictures showed a spot on my brain that would need further study. Dr. Carter called the spot a tumor. A tumor is a group of bad cells that grow together in your body. He said that it might have been growing for a while and no one really knows how long it has been there. He also told me, “Sammy, we need to take care of this right away.” He said I would need to have surgery to take the tumor out. The surgery was scheduled for the very next morning, and boy did that come fast! It scared me and made me very nervous. My Dad asked, “Are you ready to go get ‘em, Sammy?” “Yeah, I’m ready!” Then he said, “I love you, and I know you will be OK.” Mom and Brenda also were in the room-Brenda still in her pajamas! I remember they all gave me big kisses and hugs.
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About the Book
Sammy Hits a Homerun seeks to help you and your child understand not only some of the symptoms of a brain tumor, but also procedures that may need to be done while in the hospital.
About the Author
Darryl C. Didier (April 29, 1966–October 31, 2007) was born in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and grew up in Lincolnshire, Illinois, with his parents, Albert F. Didier and Jean E. Didier, and his sister, Brenda S. Didier.
Darryl attended Holy Cross Catholic Grade School and Carmel Catholic High School for Boys; he was highly active in baseball and football. Darryl received his BS degree from Indiana State University. Upon graduation, Darryl attained his series 7 license and began his career as a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch in Northbrook, Illinois. Darryl had it all—a job he loved, a red sports car, a beautiful girlfriend, friends, family, and a future that looked very bright. On July 17, 1990, at the age of twenty-four, he had a mild headache that turned into a severe headache. His sister, Brenda, drove him to the ER, where tests discovered a malignant brain tumor. Darryl’s parents were in Maine and made the journey back to Chicago for the twelve-hour operation, radiation treatments, numerous surgeries, and years of rehab.
His prognosis was bleak. The medical teams told Darryl and his family that he might not survive the surgery. If he did survive, he could end up in a nursing home the rest of his life, unable to walk, talk, or think. Darryl’s outlook on his situation was positive and his attitude upbeat, which puzzled many doctors who thought that he was in denial and not taking his diagnosis seriously. Darryl fought back and announced that he did indeed know what he was facing, but made the decision to fight with faith, hope, love, and humor. That attitude is what kept Darryl going, surpassing all the doctors’ expectations and living in remission for seventeen incredible years.
Darryl did walk and talk again and even drove with some restrictions. His dreams of returning to work, getting married, and having children did not happen. Darryl dreamed a new dream for himself. He wanted to give back and help others. He wrote a memoir entitled Force a Miracle published in 2002. He became an active motivational speaker in grade schools, high schools, prisons, and various companies and charities. He taught CCD to second graders and gave of his time to various charities. His message was always one of hope: Never give up. Keep going. Don’t ever let anyone tell you “no.” This applied to cancer patients and anyone going through life’s hardships. Darryl connected with people of all ages, and they responded to him.
Darryl’s last dream was to write a children’s book to help children diagnosed with cancer and their families, offering them his message of hope through faith, love, and humor. Darryl’s cancer returned after seventeen years. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, on his favorite holiday, Halloween, October 31, 2007.