It was a little more than a week ago, March 2 to be exact, when Bridgeport’s Timmy Wilson woke up to one of the most dreadful days of his life. Considering that the young Bridgeport High School graduate who had already stared down two surgeries, six weeks of radiation and four cycles of chemotherapy and knew that treatment was a thing of the past for at least the very near future, it may seem like an odd scenario.

 

Yet, that day carried significance. Timmy Wilson knew it. His family knew. His friends knew it too.

 

On this day, Timmy Wilson was meeting with his oncologist to review the latest MRI of his brain. It was in June of 2016 that Wilson was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a cancer that results in a brain tumor located on the brain stem.

 

This day was to see if everything he went through had produced the desired result. It was indeed a day of significance.

 

Wilson had made the trip down to Duke University Medical Center and the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center. It’s where he had spent more time than he cared to have spent in the last nine months. The trip was Feb. 28, the MRI was March 1 and the doctor’s appointment was March 2.

 

“I was a wreck that morning. I remember crying to my boyfriend Tyler (Karcher) because this was it,” said Wilson. “I was waiting for the bad news and hoping for good news. Every bit of me was consumed with what the news was going to be … My dad (Craig) came to make sure I was level headed and wouldn’t freak out.”

 

The visit to the oncologist that morning was stressful. Craig said. It was even stressful after he heard what he thought he had heard.

 

“We’re sitting talking with the doctor and it’s really medical gobbley gook. I thought it was what Timmy wanted to hear and what I wanted to hear, but I looked at him and could tell he wasn’t and I wasn’t 100 percent sure,” said Craig. “After the doctor was done I said, ‘Should we be happy?’ She looked at me and said ‘yes, this is what I expected to see.’ Finally, we breathed a sigh of relief and we understood that doctor’s always hedge what they say. We also understood that it wasn’t time to breathe a final sigh of relief.”

 

The Wilsons had good news. They wanted better news. They got the first part of that news Monday.

 

“The doctor was pretty certain the only thing visible on the MRI of Timmy’s brain was scar tissue. But the caution was to have a radiologist look at it as well,” said Craig. “I got the call (Monday) and the radiologist felt the same way. Having the radiologist tell us the same thing made us both feel better.”

 

Along with what is believed to be scar tissue was also good news relating to Timmy Wilson’s spine. Spots that were found there previously are no longer visible.

 

“We don’t go back for another MRI until May 3,” said Craig. “This next MRI, we hope, is a final hurdle because that one will either show growth in the tumor that was there or the same scar tissue. That may be tirme for a final sigh of relief, but we’re taking this right now as positive and cautiously as we can.”

 

That May 3 date will be almost a year exactly from the time Timmy Wilson began experiencing the symptoms that led to his diagnosis.

 

“It was about this time a year ago and I was having really bad headaches, far from typical, that brought my attention to the fact something may be wrong. They were so bad that the only way I could get through a day was to take Excedrin all day long,” said Wilson, a recent WVU graduate. “I had never had any health problems to that point. I was in Exercise Physiology and they encouraged us to exercise and stay in shape so it was really unusual.”

 

Still, the 22-year-old had his concerns. After local doctors referred him to Morgantown for an MRI, he had a bad feeling that he may get news he didn’t want to receive.

 

“In the back of my head, I thought it could have been something bad like a tumor. Then when you actually get the news it’s different. I was kind of in shock and didn’t really believe it was happening to me,” said Wilson. “I finally came to terms with it, but don’t know if that would have happened as soon as it did without my family and friends helping me get through it.”

 

Timmy Wilson found out everything good about his family and friends. He also found out about the decency of people he never met and may never meet. His father set up the “Prayers for Timmy Wilson” Facebook page where Craig could post updates as opposed to contacting everyone to give status reports. On that page, from the moment it was created to this very day, every post is met with comments and promises of prayers and good thoughts.

 

Make no mistake, Timmy Wilson felt the love.

 

“It was very important for me to see that during that time. I was so touched by the entire community. Honestly, there were people beyond the immediate community; across the world actually who were praying for me,” said Wilson. “It helped me because when I felt like I might not be able to make it through treatment. I knew someone, somewhere was praying for me it enabled me to push through and complete it.”

 

His boyfriend Tyler Karcher was also a huge help. Karcher did more than be by Timmy Wilson’s side. He had some much-needed medical skills.

 

“He’s currently trying to finish his studies in nursing. Having him there was good on many fronts, but he had additional medical knowledge that helped with understanding the doctors, doing things I was supposed to do the right way,” said Wilson. “He really helped the entire way and I can’t tell you how thankful I am for that.”

 

Ironically, Wilson is thankful for what cancer has done to him. Not physically, mind you, but how it changed him in other areas.

 

“When I went into this I was very scared, but after getting through it all I feel as if I gained something, in a very positive way, from it,” said Wilson. “I learned so much about myself. I learned so much about others, including the kindness of people you don’t know and may never know.”

 

At this time, I told Timmy Wilson about former Bridgeport Coach Gene Randolph’s own battle with cancer. I explained to him that Randolph said he wouldn’t change it because of what it’s done to him. I wondered, too, if Timmy Wilson felt the battle – and all the pain that has come with it – has been worth it.

 

“I’m a better person because of this. I’d agree with Coach Randolph on one thing for sure. It was a hard experience that I wouldn’t want to do again or wouldn’t want anyone else to experience, but it’s changed me in ways nothing ever could. Those changes are for the better,” said Wilson.

 

What that means is that Wilson is like a lot of others who have traveled this difficult path. He not only refused to bow to cancer, he used it to shape who he is. No matter what the future holds, Timmy Wilson has already beat cancer.

 

Now, he just has one more wish. And it’s one he’s certain he’s going to be able to fulfill it fairly soon.

 

“I’m enjoying being home and seeing my family and friends, but I really just want to go to the movies,” said Wilson. “I can’t do that yet and it’s been a while because my white blood count in the past was way too low to be out and about. It’s getting back to normal even though I still sometimes wear a mask and try to stay from crowded places right now. On March 22 I go back for a checkup so I hope my blood count is good. If so, I’ll be at the movies.”

 

If only those in attendance knew who’s going to be there. They wouldn’t have to check the big screen to see a hero. There’s going to be one in the audience.

 

Click HERE for Timmy Wilson’s Facebook Page. Click HERE for the GoFundMe page.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Timmy at home enjoying his family's dogs, while he's shown at one of his final chemo treatments in the second photo. In the third photo, Timmy and Tyler Karcher are trying to get things back to normal with a bit of fun, while the family gathers on the day he received the good news from the oncologist. Photos courtesy of the Wilson family and the Prayers for TImmy Wilson Facebook page.