Boy Slipped Marine A Secret Note. He Read It & Immediately Called For Backup!

He met with his fellow Marines just off Connecticut Street. When everybody was settled, Andrew called the meeting to order.

“There’s this kid,” Andrew started. “His mom is dying. This young man is one of us. He has heart. Here is what we’re going to do.”

The Marines leaned in to hear Keenan’s plight and Andrew’s plan. Keenan was busy with his homework.

He was constantly aware of his mom in the bedroom. She was restless and he could hear she was uncomfortable.

He was busy making her tea when the phone rang.

“Is that Private Williamson?” the voice on the other end asked.

Keenan was confused.

“This is Keenan,” he said. “Who do you want to speak with?”

“This is Sergeant Andrew Styles,” the voice said. “You became one of us when you asked for our help and we’re going to help you.”

The picture came into focus in Keenan’s mind. He had only given one of fifty notes to one soldier in the mall the day before, so this had to be him.

“Can we meet?” the Marine on the other end asked. “Maybe tomorrow after school?”

A Christmas Miracle and a Second Chance

When Keenan came out of school the next afternoon, three Marines in full uniform were waiting for him. They greeted him like he was one of them; it made him feel like a million dollars.

Over a burger, they asked him about his plan. He explained as well as he could, but added that he needed grown-up help to make it a reality.

He wanted to give his mom the best Christmas ever, given that it could be her last. The Marines smiled at him.

Andrew said, “Well, Soldier, you came to the right place. That’s what we’re here for. Here’s our plan.”

Andrew was completely taken by the boy. They were going to make this kid’s dream of a spectacular Christmas come true, that was for sure.

But Andrew was hatching his own plan too, something neither the boy nor his mother would be expecting and something that could quite literally change their lives. He dialed a number again.

Keenan started counting the days to Christmas. He knew it was going to be special.

He really liked the Marines he’d met and he knew that they would pull out all the stops. Now all he needed to do was keep the secret from his mom.

On Christmas Day, Keenan helped his mom get out of bed. He ran her a bath, put her clothes out for her, and encouraged her when it was obvious the pain was bad.

Then he helped her into the kitchen and sat her down at the table.

“What are you up to, Keenan?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye. “You’re up to something, I can see it.”

There was a knock on the door.

“You sit, Mom, I’ll get it,” Keenan said.

He flew up and ran to the door. There were nine Marines at the door, all with something in their arms.

One had a turkey, another had a gammon, others had various vegetables, and yet others carried bowls of dessert. Two men had a fully decorated Christmas tree between them and another had a bag of wrapped Christmas gifts.

“Where do you want these, Private?” Andrew asked with a smile.

Keenan smiled back and showed them where to place the Christmas tree and then took them through to the kitchen.

“Sergeant Andrew Styles in the US Marine Corps, at your service, Madame,” Andrew said when Keenan led them into the kitchen. “You sit and we’ll serve you lunch.”

Tears flowed down Jennifer’s cheeks. She reached out and took Keenan in her arms.

“You did this?”

Another knock on the door. Andrew said, “I’ll get that. I know who it is.”

He returned a few moments later with an older, distinguished-looking man.

“This is my father,” he said proudly. “Dr. Quinton Styles. He’s an oncologist.”

What Andrew didn’t say was that Dr. Quinton Styles was one of the top oncologists in the country. Many considered him a miracle worker.

Patients with the worst imaginable prognosis came to see him and somehow he managed to cure them. Andrew kneeled on one side of Jennifer and Dr. Styles on the other.

“My dad has agreed to treat you free of charge.”

One year later, Keenan and Jennifer sat in their lounge. They had a small Christmas tree up and there was a turkey in the oven.

Christmas cards from Andrew and Quinton Styles hung on the corkboard. Jennifer said,

“This Christmas is special, Keenan. I am only here because of what you did last year. You’re a hero in every sense.”

What a magnificent end to a sad story. Have you ever had trouble and then a US Marine stepped up to the plate to help?