It took Marine Corps veteran cc grey six weeks to write her newly released book, “The World of Atlas: Letherea,” an interactive series for children with cancer. But it took six years to process losing her cousin, Jad — who she calls her brother — to a rare form of cancer before she could write a word.
Raised as siblings, grey would have done anything to ease the 15-year-old’s pain. His only request: “Join the Marine Corps.” The request was unusual since grey never had plans to join the military. Basketball was her life from age 4, and her singular focus was the WNBA.
“They called me ‘The Octopus’ because my arms are so long, and I always blocked shots,” grey, a former sergeant, said.
But injuries to her spine at 18 forced her to relinquish her professional basketball aspirations.
Relying on her tough mentality, grey worked hard in rehab to heal and avoid surgery. When Jad was diagnosed with cancer, she drew on that same mental toughness for the upcoming fight, knowing she would need strength for them both.
“He was always positive,” grey said, “but he got tired, sad and angry.”
The challenge
Jad’s goal was to become a Navy SEAL, so grey knew there was fire in his soul. As the “older and wiser” sister, she challenged his fighting spirit.
“I can’t take cancer from you, but what would prove to you that we can go through hell for each other and live vicariously through each other?” she recalled asking him.
He playfully told her to join the Navy SEALs in his place. grey said she realized it was a joke when he laughed — the first time he’d laughed in a while.
“OK, join the Marine Corps,” he said, giving her another option. “It’s the second hardest. When you’re done, then we’ll have a conversation.”
grey took the joke as a challenge, and she enlisted. Standing 6 feet, 1 inch tall in combat boots and speaking Arabic, French and English, she excelled and was quickly assigned to special intelligence missions.
Her greatest strength, however, showed when she returned to visit her brother as his health declined. As his rock, she found a creative and meaningful way to help him face adversity.
A mission of honor
After seeing children in superhero costumes on the pediatric floor, grey got the idea for Jad to turn his cancer into a superpower. Together they brainstormed what diagnoses would translate to in a fantasy world.
“So, what is a brain tumor?” she asked him.
He replied, “Telekinesis.”
“What is leukemia?”
“You can walk through fire because you have burning blood,” he said.
grey’s latest mission has been honoring her brother’s memory and encouraging other families during difficult times through her writing. Within the pages of “World of Atlas,” grey shares the stories of brave children she has met, including a 5-year-old now in remission who is featured as an Olympian.
“I want to include as many cancer patients as possible,” grey said.
“World of Atlas: Letherea” by grey can be purchased on Amazon.
