One day in class he decided to tell us a story. When he was a sophomore at the local high school, his older brother was suddenly diagnosed with terminal cancer. Instead of fighting his fate or acting selfishly and demanding attention in the last few months of his life, Mr. C’s brother bravely accepted reality and continued to live his life just as fully as he had before. When his brother passed away, Mr. C vowed to live his own life to the fullest as a sort of memorial to his brother’s constancy and courage.In the midst of the mourning, Mr. C’s father, who had at one time served as mayor of his hometown, began to blame himself for his son’s disease and subsequent decease. The depression that ensued eventually drove him to suicide. He drove his car out one day and shot himself.Needless to say we students were all stunned to hear the story of Mr. C’s family. How was it that this man, who had suffered such unimaginable trauma as a teenager and who had lost half his immediate family within a year or two, was now one of the most visible and vibrant teachers on campus, one who single-handedly fashioned a revitalized music department including music history classes, a choir group, and an electronic music group that created and recorded its own CD? How was it that this man had a literally boundless store of energy and good humor? How was it that this man not only survived, but prevailed?