Internet friends are still very much that

Our New York weekend was so fantastic! Yes of course I’m always thrilled to be in that city, to just hop on its high-energy train and drink it all in, and I’m sure that will never change.

But what made this weekend so special was the time we spent with the Witts, Liam and his family. His Central Park birthday party on Saturday was really fun, and since it was our second time there we could recognize some faces and talk with people that are part of their universe. We befriended Cat, one of Liam’s nurses, who told us that the next time we come to the city, she would love to give us a tour of the pediatric cancer clinic. Can you imagine how important and meaningful and amazing her work is? Makes me all teary and emotional just to think about it.

On Sunday the Witts were kind enough to invite us to their weekend house in rural New Jersey. We were absolutely blown away by how wonderful (and I’m weighing my words) it was and spent the loveliest day with them. We felt completely welcomed within their lives, and had the greatest time together, just like we had known each other forever. The kids were playing and having a blast and just doing what they should do (undergoing serious and painful treatments is what they should not (have to) do).

Liam looks so great, so big and with the most gorgeous head of silky, slightly wavy-in-the-back hair you can imagine. After seeing him lose it twice to chemo, his mom says now she simply doesn't want to cut it again. You should have seen him patiently teaching “baby” LP how to do stuff, show him the frogs in his pond, and tell his little sister not to worry about the bugs. When we left he gave me a really strong and warm hug, and planted a big kiss right on my lips. This meant EVERYTHING to me from this boy, who really went through hell and back, and who touched me so deeply and personally even before I met him…

I really hope in all my heart that the rest of this family’s life is only made of blessed, relaxed, fantastic country summer weekend days like the one we spent there. It’s hard for me to explain the bond his mom Gretchen and I have, but there’s something there that goes beyond words. Never in a million years could I say that I understand her pain, but maybe as a mom I can just attempt to imagine its depth and genuinely wish that I could take a little of it on my own shoulders.

Cancer really doesn’t care how wonderful, happy, and privileged you are. But I still believe that if someone can beat this disease, Liam can. Fingers crossed, knocking on wood and never for a second stopping to hope.

I still don’t know what brought me to reach out to them a year and a half ago, after reading about them in a magazine, then following their blog. But there was something there, something that changed my life. I had never done such a thing, but I simply had to. I didn’t think we would enter into their lives and become friends. I didn’t think I would feel so personally invested into this fight to save all children with cancer.

I don't care what some people say about the fakeness of people you meet online. Yeah so maybe you can't actually call your blog friends every five minutes or for the matter have them provide a physical shoulder to cry on, but it doesn't make the connection you make with them any less real and meaningful. Sharing their little victories, setbacks, or life events is just as important to me as if I were there to actually witness them. The thing is, you don’t need to be close to provide (or receive) support. You don’t have to call someone every five minutes to show that you care. And Internet friends can very much become real ones.

I’ve said it before, but making all these friends through blogging has been the most unexpected and awesome experience for me. And with this -I hope- enduring friendship created between two families from different countries, which is so positive and heartwarming and major in my life, I feel like I totally have the perfect anecdote to shut these people up for good.