From JuJu with Love

The week that just kept getting better

Some weeks make me constantly pinch myself.

They remind me how incredibly lucky I am — and how certain experiences can still make me stop and think:

How is this my life?

This morning Facebook reminded me of one of those weeks.

It was September 2017, and it may have been one of the most surreal weeks of my life.

It started with a flight from Detroit to Dallas to meet my best friend J for the Michigan–Florida football game at AT&T Stadium.

We packed a ridiculous amount into that weekend: a Texas Rangers game Friday night, the Michigan alumni tailgate Saturday and then the big game Saturday afternoon.

When J. was diagnosed with stage IV cancer in 2015, my world shifted. During that time, my cousin Joel introduced me to his best friend Jason—a survivor of the very same cancer. Jason became a lifeline. He understood what we were facing in a way few others could, and he was instrumental in helping me navigate the long, exhausting, emotional road of caregiving for J. His support and comfort meant more than I can ever put into words.

Jason and his son live in Florida and were Gators fans (in addition to be Michigan fans), so I invited them to join us in Dallas for the game. It felt right—Michigan, friendship, survival, and celebration all rolled into one weekend.

So seeing the two of them together in Dallas — healthy, happy and celebrating life at a Michigan football game — meant more to me than I can explain.

At the alumni tailgate, the fun somehow kept escalating. Jason — apparently feeling particularly brave that morning — rode a mechanical bull. Ryan was thrilled when we met a group of former Michigan football players, and I had my own fan-girl moment when I got to pose with the Michigan drum major.

And that was only the beginning.

Michigan won.

Of course that made the weekend even better.

J and Jason also discovered they shared an appreciation for whiskey and bourbon, a common interest they explored rather enthusiastically that weekend. 😂

On Sunday, J and I flew to Detroit, where the next once-in-a-lifetime experience was waiting.

U2 at Ford Field.

My friends Rob and Viv were also in Detroit for the concert, celebrating Viv’s 50th birthday, so J and I surprised them in Greektown for appetizers and drinks before the show.

Then we headed to Ford Field.

As a radio programmer, J sometimes had access to experiences most people never get anywhere near.

This was one of them.

Before the concert, we were invited backstage to a private performance with Bono, The Edge and Adam Clayton for 20 radio programmers and their plus-ones.

I could literally have reached out and touched Bono.

There were no photos allowed backstage, which at the time felt terribly unfair.

But honestly?

I don’t need one.

Those pictures are permanently ingrained in my memory.

Afterward, we went out onto the floor of Ford Field and watched U2 perform for tens of thousands of people.

Another one of those:

How is this my life?

J and I spent the next few days in Detroit. He played golf, attended his fantasy football draft, and then we flew to Las Vegas, where his radio station was putting on an all-day concert event.

The lineup included Neon Trees, LeAnn Rimes, Eve 6, Shawn Hook, Rachel Platten and Vertical Horizon.

My friend Sherry joined me for the day so I wouldn’t be underfoot while J worked the event.

And then came the moment that gave the entire week a completely different meaning.

After Rachel Platten sang “Fight Song,” Sherry and I noticed a woman and a young girl standing in front of us. They were both crying and clearly very emotional.

We asked if everything was okay.

The mother told us that her daughter had been seriously ill, and that during her treatment, “Fight Song” had become the song that helped get her through it.

I looked at Sherry and immediately said, “Stay here with them.”

Then I went looking for J.

Because after a week of being given access to experiences that most people never get to have, suddenly I wondered whether we could use a little bit of that access for someone else.

I found J and asked if there was any way we could bring the girl and her mom backstage to the meet-and-greet with Rachel Platten.

He said yes.

I went back to tell them.

The look on that young girl’s face is something I will never forget.

She and her mom were so excited. So grateful.

And standing there watching them get ready to meet the singer whose song had helped carry her through one of the hardest times in her life, I realized that this surreal week had somehow come full circle.

It had started with two cancer survivors — Jason and J — together in Dallas, healthy and celebrating life.

Then came Michigan football, friends, travel, U2, Bono practically within arm’s reach, backstage access, concerts and one unbelievable experience after another.

So many moments that made me think:

How is this my life?

But maybe the most meaningful moment of the entire week wasn’t one of the things we got to experience.

It was the moment when we got to use some of that incredible access to create one of those moments for somebody else.

It was a whole week about access, luck, survival, friendship, music, football and travel — one “how is this my life?” moment after another.

And then, at the very end, we got to help give one to someone else.

I don’t know how I got so lucky that this is my life. I just know how incredibly grateful I am that it is. 

From Juju with love 💙