Gym Class Hero - Inspirational Story

by Cassie Harting
(Jesup, IA, USA)

I'm a sixteen year old girl with multiple sclerosis, but that's not the story line of this event..

Because of my MS, I sit out in physical education. My classmates were playing volley-ball and I was sitting on the stage in the gym watching, along with others who decided to sit out that day.

We have an autistic kid in my class, Jordan. He's someone everyone just loves. Well, at the end of the class he came up to me in shy little steps, hands clasped at his chest.

"Cassie," he said.

"Yes Jordan?"

"Your aunt wanted me to tell you she loves you."

At this point I was thinking he was going off on a movie scene (he does that a lot).

"Which Aunt?" I asked, playing along.

"Roxanne."

He turned to walk away but saw the shock on my face,"I just thought it'd cheer you up."

Then he turned on his heel and ran to catch up with his Para.

I turned to a classmate sitting beside me, the bewilderment showing on her face, "What's going on?"

Still in complete shock and tears filling up my eyes, I gave a shaky answer,"That's my Aunt Roxy...she died a year ago today..."

My heart was racing, my anxiety kicking in - panic attack here I come!

Her eyes got huge, "Did he know her?"

I shook my head, eyes glued to the ground, "No. He doesn't know ANYONE in my family."

I got up and ran through the locker room and went to the nurses, without stopping to get a pass or even to tell the teacher. When I got there I saw the nurse and told her everything (she's like my own personal counselor).

"Well," she said,"they say kids with autism have that ability. We can't explain it."

By this point I was bawling my eyes out. My Aunt Roxy was my godmother and had lung cancer. I watched her slipped slowly into the light - taking her last breath.

When the nurse and I were done talking and calming me down, I went up to my next class. Only fifteen minutes went by and I was crying again, so I went to the girls' bathroom and locked myself in a stall. I slipped my phone out and called my dad (no phones are allowed in school or in bathrooms but it was an emergency). He answered and I told him everything. Not until later did he tell me that the time I called him is the time she died...

My family has been taking her death pretty hard and we all took this as a sign of her being okay and there's no longer a need for us to feel bad. Jordan's message has made me realized no matter where your loved ones go, you should always know they love you.

Well, I love you too Roxy.