I’ve been friends with David since the age of 13 , and he has always quietly battled with CF. At that age, I never really understood what it was and how it would affect David. Quick google searches give you life expectancies and scary facts. The reality, while shocking to me, seemed like second nature to David. All that was visable to me, was that he took medication at meals, had a machine that looked like a humidifier and traveled frequently to see doctors in Chicago. Then and even now in his adult life, he’s always made it seem like a minor distraction, even though that’s far from the case with this disease. We boxed in his basement, played club vollyball together, he played lax at a varsity level and we’ve hiked in Alaska. He consistently is the “glue guy” planning details for our buddies getting back together in our “old” age. The unseen part of his battle I’m sure has been heavy, but he doesn’t let others feel it. I know it is a brutal everyday challenge for his health and future. Reflecting on the gravity of CF gives me immense appreciation for the warrior mentality David has. The least I can do is expend as much energy as I can on a hike in honor of the way David continues to carry himself and raise $ toward a cure.