Shortly after finishing his first year at The Citadel, John was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma. Although his chemotherapy and radiation regime caused him to miss a semester, he made up the credits by completing coursework online. In addition, John trained to regain the strength he lost during treatment and passed the physical training test required to return to school. Upon his return to the Citadel, John resumed his life as a full-time student and military cadet. He made the Dean’s list, was inducted into the Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society and participated in extracurricular activities such as Campus Ministry and the Cadet Chorale. When asked what lessons he learned through his experiences with cancer, John writes “rather than obsessing over [a] problem itself, I see more and more that there are opportunities and blessings in everything I experience.”