What Could Be Worse?

Some of you may have watched the one hour “special” the other night during which Lebron James revealed his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and join the Miami Heat basketball team. I did not, but I understand that it was American television at its worst.

The very next night, the story was national news and Diane Sawyer featured film clips of fan reaction from Cleveland. I was particularly struck by one young man who was utterly devastated and sobbed uncontrollably, declaring that “this is the worst thing that can happen ever happen to me in my whole life!”

The evening before Lebron’s revelation, I had the honor to act as auctioneer at TRO Jung|Brannen’s annual Pan Mass Challenge fund raiser for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. A guest from DFCI opened our event by sharing with us the story of her young son’s two year battle with cancer – a fight he lost a few years ago. She spoke of the extraordinary care of the medical staff and of her child’s determination and unyielding spirit.

I wish the young man from Cleveland had been there.