The D-word will eventually happen to us all: Death. And the D-word in this story is preceded by another alphabetically feared term: The "Big C,"...

The D-word will eventually happen to us all: Death. And the D-word in this story is preceded by another alphabetically feared term: The "Big C," Cancer. In his mid-fifties, John Pipkins was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a disease most often found in children. Love, John is the story of his three-year journey navigating the labors of treatment and everyday life as told by his partner, Bill Waggoner. The story is full of love, sadness, music, friends, laughter, food, and heartbreak. It is a glimpse into how they lived their ordinary life when thrown into extraordinary circumstances.

Even though John knew the ending to his story before the final chapter was written, he chose to live each day with joy and purpose, loving those around him. John wanted more. He wanted more time with his people. He wanted more fun, more laughter. He wanted more music. He wanted more love. He simply wanted more out of life. Like John, Bill wanted more out of life, too. He wanted more life with John.

Everyone's tragedies are different. If we can recognize the presence of joy and growth and companionship in the face of adversity, maybe the struggle can be a gift. This isn't a guidebook, because there isn't one. This is a story of living each day to the fullest and living each day like it's the last, choosing growth and learning in the midst of chaos. But mostly, this is a story simply about love.