People rely on their mom for many things- she is a comforter, a provider, and a friend. Despite what you are going through with their mom, you generally want the best for her. The last thing you want is for her health to deplete. That’s a struggle junior Kennedy Cook had to go through during her mom’s battle with cancer.

October 14, 2013 is a date that Cook isn’t likely to forget. That is the date she first found out about her mother’s cancer.

“[I was] really scared and mad,” Cook said.

It started as pancreatic cancer, then it spread to the kidney and liver as well.

Despite being very ill, Cook’s mom pushed forward and continued to teach while going through intense chemo.

“[Her chemo schedule was] four times a week for six months and then one month off chemo and then six more months]”

In October of 2015 Cook’s mother decided to stop treatment and try and live out the rest of her life to its fullest. She went to work for one final month to say goodbye and then started traveling with her family.

“I wouldn’t talk to her and she wouldn’t talk to me we would cry or get mad every time we talked to each other and I stopped hanging out with people. My room became my best friend.”

The impact of holidays and family time grew because of her mother’s decision to stop treatment.

“Thanksgiving and Christmas became huge. We went to Disney World, she wasn’t sick and it actually felt normal and I felt like things were getting better. My family did everything with us, my mom wanted to know that everyone would be close after she was gone.”

The day that her mother passed away, Cook woke up knowing what was happening and it was very hard for her.

“I woke up and she was gone and I knew what had happened then. So many people were in the room seeing her for the last time. I couldn’t talk to her I was to angry. She could barely stay awake. I went out to get food with a friend and shower. And I came back at 4pm and people were asked to leave from her room but my grandma and I. My mom began to hold my hand and stare at me and for one and a half hours we just sat there. Then I said to my mom “we will be okay down here, you can go” and then at 6:07pm she died.”