"Life is good and this is just part of life; one of life's little hurdles," says Adolphus, affectionately known by all as "Pete". Pete, a veteran, made 2 trips to Vietnam and 1 trip to Germany where he learned welding. When Pete returned to his home state of Michigan, he combined his trade with his love of cars and turned it into a successful career with the Chrysler Corporation.
For the past 15 years Pete, 58, had been treated for a skin condition called t-cell lymphoma. When routine lab work came back abnormal, his physician suggested he have a complete physical. In January 2004, Pete was diagnosed with Stage IIB lung cancer. Pete describes his feelings on the diagnosis, "At first, I felt kind of hurt…I said why me, then I started thinking why not me…I can't change it, I just have to deal with it the best I can."
By word of mouth, Pete heard of a research facility and made an appointment. He wanted to explore all options available to him, including clinical trials. Pete was familiar with research and clinical trial participation. While working at Chrysler in Michigan, he participated in a lung health study conducted at a local hospital. "I'm for clinical trials. It is the giving of you to others. Being a part of a clinical trial is thinking outside the box." After being diagnosed, Pete says he never hesitated to enroll in a trial, "…going to Moffitt being part of a research group…they're on the cutting edge and they're improving the treatment minute by minute."
Pete started on chemotherapy and then underwent surgery to remove his left upper lobe. Two and a half years later, Pete's cancer returned, but this time in the right lobe, which was resected with minimally invasive surgery and chemotherapy.
While Pete's family including his daughter and 5 sisters primarily reside in Michigan, Pete also had an extended family in Florida comprised of friends, neighbors and his treatment staff. He says that in bad times "you know who you can count on." Over the past few years, his extended family had been a tremendous help to him. When he returned home from surgery, his neighbors had pitched in and made repairs around his home so he had one less thing to worry about. They wanted him to focus on his health and well-being.
When asked to what he attributes his success, "My good looks," Pete laughed. "One's attitude. You have to have a positive attitude about everything…if you think negative, it'll be negative; if you think positive, act positive, it'll be positive. I just take life one day at a time; what will be, will be; The Lord won't put more on your plate than you can handle. Pete's only request "Let me still make history day by day." And history he did make.
Pete passed away on October 15, 2008 from heart problems unrelated to his cancer. He will be missed and remembered fondly by his biological and extended family. His daughter Dorian closes with, "Rest in peace, Pops. You've earned it."
Hear Pete in the words of his daughter
