Athena Orchard's Inspirational Message to Family Goes Viral: 'Maybe It's Not About the Happy Ending but the Story'
Athena Orchard, 13, knew that she could lose her battle against cancer at any moment, so she decided to write her parents a note to find once she died. This week they opted to share it with the public.
"Happiness depends on ourselves," Athena wrote on the back of her mirror. "Maybe it's not about the happy ending. Maybe it's about the story. The purpose of life is a life of purpose. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra."
According to Athena's family, she collapsed around Christmastime and was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. She underwent a seven-and-a-half hour long surgery to remove a tumor on her spine and started chemotherapy. She passed away in May and her parents discovered the message on the mirror.
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"She never mentioned it, but it's the kind of thing she'd do. She was a very spiritual person," Athena's father told Caters. "I started reading it but before long I had to stop because it was too much. It was heartbreaking."
The message continued for 3,000 words and is filled with Athena's reflections on life, love, and happiness. She wanted to share her final words with her six sisters and three brothers that she was leaving behind, in addition to her mother and father.
"She was always positive," Athena's mother told the Daily Mail, "even when she was in hospital she would be looking after me, making sure I ate and telling me not to cry. We knew the cancer was very aggressive … she fought it as long as she could but eventually she became too weak to get out of bed. We're keeping the mirror forever. Just reading her words felt like she was still here with us. She had such an incredible spirit."
In a touching show of sympathy and love, the teen's friends have written final messages to her on the windows of the family's home in Leicester.
