Life will throw us the unexpected, but it’s how we respond that will determine our outcome. And this man’s response to the unexpected – his strength, resiliency, and positivity – is undoubtedly inspiring.
In 2013, Tim McGrath was experiencing persistent pain in his jaw and decided it was time to see a doctor. After a series of tests, the doctors shared the unfortunate news that his pain was caused by a growing tumor, leading them to diagnose Tim with a rare form of cancer known as Synovial Sarcoma.
In only his mid-30’s, this news was shocking to Tim. In order to completely remove the cancerous cells from his body, Tim had to undergo surgery that essentially removed half of his facial features. During the surgery, doctors removed one of Tim’s eyes, an ear, half of his jawline, partial areas of his skull, and a substantial amount of muscle and skin tissue on his face.
Coming out of surgery, Tim’s face looked completely different. “After the operation to remove the tumor, I was heartbroken,” Tim admitted, “I didn’t realize that half of my face would be taken away.”
On top of coming to terms with his new normal, Tim was faced with a series of challenges following his surgery, such as infections. And while many people would easily give up, Tim continued to move forward.
In an effort to keep the faith, Tim pursued a plastic surgeon in Michigan who attempted to reconstruct Tim’s face using grafted skin from his forearm, forehead, and leg.
Although Tim has lost half of his face to cancer, he unknowingly continues to inspire everyone around him. His positive attitude and resiliency have moved people in incredible ways. But it hasn’t been easy for Tim, confessing, “There were so many times I wanted to give up, and at times it was difficult to find my strength to carry on.”
Tim has been able to spread a powerful message through his website and social media, “Tough Like Tim,” abbreviated TLT. In sharing his experience, Tim has gained thousands of followers who are in awe of his level of strength and hopefulness. Tim writes on his website,
“I have been through something horrific, but if what I’ve gone through can inspire people to live their lives with gratitude for the things they take for granted than it makes what I’ve gone through all worth it.”
Tim continues, “Knowing that I have inspired so many people throughout my journey makes this easy to accept… As always, I continue to appreciate all of you, your love, your thoughts, your prayers, all make a huge difference. Even just a simple text message to check in on me brightens my day!”
In response to Tim’s fans, who are inspired by his uplifting spirit, he says,
“Life is too precious and too short to give up…If I am a well of inspiration for those around me, I hope it never runs dry.”
After twenty surgeries, Tim maintains great positivity and a light sense of humor, validating that, no matter what battle we’re faced with, we must never give up.
Tim McGrath’s story of resiliency serves as an example to all of us, as he demonstrates an incredible ability to persevere and remain strong in difficult circumstances, while also inspiring others along the way.
Please SHARE Tim’s incredible optimism and positivity with your friends and family.
(h/t): aplus
