“It started when I noticed a bump on my leg; above my left knee. We went to the doctors to ask what it was, and he said that I had bruised my muscle. The inflammation was probably cutting off the circulation in my leg causing the bump with no bruise marks. The doctor told us that I needed to take three ibuprofens at breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and that if the bump had not gone away in a week to go for another visit to the clinic.

In a week the bump had not gone away but we didn’t think anything of it and didn’t go back in a week. Another week had passed and my mom was worried so she took me to the clinic. This was my second time in this clinic with this doctor, but he remembered me and the bump on my leg. He told us the same thing he did last time, that I bruised my muscle. My mom was still worried and pushed for x-rays.

I woke up at six thirty in the morning on Monday, March 30, 2009, and I got ready for school like a normal day. I took a shower, got dressed, brushed my teeth, put on deodorant, combed my hair, got my backpack, went downstairs, and waited for my mom and sister to finish getting ready. We left my house and started out our commute to school. When I got to school I went to hang out with a group of friends like I do every morning.” -Levi Chavez

On March 30th, 2009 Levi was pulled out of school and was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer. His intense chemotherapy began immediately, continuous devastating results were given, and through it all Levi didn’t give up. Levi stayed positive, always talked of his future, and fought hard for nine months. Levi was an intelligent, outspoken, and witty person that everyone loved to be around. He was also a very caring person who thought of others before himself. Levi loved to have fun, laugh, and get others to laugh. He will be greatly missed.