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IN 2006 JOSH SUNDQUIST
REPRESENTING THE PAIR OLYMPIC
SKI TEAM IN ITALY.
HIS BOOK JUST DON'T FALL, IS
ABOUT HOW FACING DEATH CHANGED A
10 YEAR OLD BOY'S HEART AND SET
THE COURSE FOR HIS LIFE.
THERE IS A PART OF ME THAT
THOUGHT, WOW, I ALMOST DIED OF
CANCER AND IN A SENSE I HAVE
BEEN GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE AT
LIFE.
AND AS A RESULT, I HAVE THIS
RESPONSIBILITY TO MY DOCTORS OR
TO GOD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
SECOND CHANCE IS JUST LIKE AS
ROCK SOLID AS IT CAN BE.
JOSH WAS 9 WHEN HE AND HIS
FAMILY LEARNED HE HAD A FORM OF
CANCER.
HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE CHEMO FOR
A YEAR.
DOCTORS GAVE HIM A 50 PERCENT
CHANCE TO LIVE.
MAY BE IT MATTERS WHAT
HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE AND MATTERS
IF THERE IS A GOD AND IF THERE
IS A REASON THAT THINGS ARE
HAPPENING TO ME.
SO, YEA, I THINK THAT I WAS
FORCED TO COME TO TERMS WITH
THOSE QUESTIONS AND MAKE MY
RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS MY OWN.
JOSH'S FAMILY AGONIZED WITH
HIM THROUGH CHEMO HIS FATHER
SAID IT WAS THEIR FAITH THAT GOT
THEM THROUGH.
IT WAS REALLY HARD.
AND SO -- TO THINK ABOUT TRYING
TO GET TO THE WHOLE YEAR WHEN IT
IS JUST INSURMOUNTABLE AND
IMPOSSIBLE.
JESUS SAYS TAKING ON THOUGHTS
FOR TOMORROW EVERY DAY HAS
ENOUGH WORRY OF ITS OWN WHAT GOT
ME THROUGH IS I CAN GET THROUGH
ANOTHER DAY.
AFTER TWO MONTHS OF CHEMO
THE CANCER WAS STILL GROWING,
FOR JOSH TO SURVIVE HIS LEFT LEG
HAD TORAMPUTATED AND FOR JOSH IT
WAS ABOUT ONE THING.
BIGGEST FEAR WAS I WAS NOT
GOING TO PLAY SPORTS.
AS JOSH HEALED HE HEARD
ABOUT SOMETHING HE BELIEVED HE
COULD DO.
DOWNHILL SKI RACING.
I GOT THE IDEA AND GRABBED A
HOLD OF A BELIEF THAT I COULD
SORT OF CHOSE SOMETHING I WANTED
DO WITH MY LIFE AND DO IT.
JOSH LIVED IN VIRGINIA.
HOME TO A SKI RESORT AND
ATTENDED A PROGRAM AND STARTED
COMPETING JOSH WORKED HARD FOR
YEARS AND BY 16 HE WAS SO
DETERMINED TO SUCCEED HE TOLD
EVERYONE HIS PLANS TO COMPETE IN
THE PAIRA OLYMPICS.
I REMEMBER HIM TALKING
ABOUT THAT IN HIGH SCHOOL WITH
HIS CLASSMATES AND HE WANTED TO
BE A SKIER AND I JUST -- I
THOUGHT YOU ARE LAYING IT RIGHT
ON THE LINE.
AFTER BEATING CANCER AND
BECOMING A SKIER JOSH EARNED HIS
PLACE ON THE TEAM.
HE DIDN'T MEDAL IN TORIN IT WAS
THE PROUDEST MOST OF HIS LIFE.
IN HE SHARED HIS STORY
AUDITORIUMS AND BOARD ROOMS.
IF YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE THERE WAS
A GOD WHO WAS SOVEREIGNED AND
WHO WAS HAD A BIG ARE PURPOSE
FOR MY LIFE THEN I DON'T KNOW
HOW I COULD POSSIBLY ACCEPT THE
THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO ME.
THE REASON I COULD DO THAT IS
BECAUSE I HAVE A FAITH THAT
THERE IS A GOD OUT THERE WHO --
HAS A LARGER PURPOSE FOR MY
LIFE.
WHETHER I CAN SEE IT.
