By. Ran
Little Nolan Scully, who was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma – a rate of soft tissue cancer, at the age of 3, was a brave soul. Towards the final days in this world, he was not worried about passing away but had immense faith in Jesus and Heaven. He even told Ruth – his mother, that he would wait for her in heaven.
After his diagnosis, Nolan’s parents started a Facebook page to record his journey, both the good and the bad.
“Every battle he’s had, he just bounced back, unbelievably,” said Frank Bell, a family friend.
“You knocked him down, he just came back and ran.”
Nolan taking after his dad dreamt of becoming a police officer and serving the community. His dad was a firefighter and stepped down from duty after his son’s diagnosis.
While Nolan was in the hospital, the city’s police commissioner made his lifelong dream come true by swearing him in as an honorary police officer; he became sergeant Rollin’ Nolan.
Nolan was not alone in this journey, many people were there, praying for him. One thing is sure, it’ll be very hard for them to live past these excruciatingly sad days.
“We were sat down with his entire team. When his Oncologist spoke, I saw the pure pain in her eyes. She had always been honest with us and fought alongside us the whole time. But his updated CT scan showed large tumors that grew compressing his bronchial tubes and heart within four weeks of his open chest surgery. The Metastatic Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma was spreading like wildfire. She explained at this time she didn’t feel his Cancer was treatable as it had become resistant to all treatment options we had tried and the plan would be to keep him comfortable as he was deteriorating rapidly.”
It’s unimaginable how hard it must have been for his family to learn this. His mother was praying for strength to tell him the truth. However, he showed no fear. Instead, his reaction was one of faith. Pure and strong.
Nolan’s mother shared a conversation she had with her son a few days before his passing.
Mom: Poot, it hurts to breathe, doesn’t it?
Nolan: Weeeelll…. yeah.
Mom: You’re in a lot of pain aren’t you baby?
Nolan: (looking down) Yeah.
Mom: Poot, this Cancer stuff sucks. You don’t have to fight anymore.
Nolan: (Pure Happiness) I DON’T??!! But I will for you Mommy!!
Mom:: No Poot!! Is that what you have been doing?? Fighting for Mommy??
Nolan: Well DUH!!
Mom: Nolan Ray, what is Mommy’s job?
Nolan: To keep me SAFE! (With a big grin)
Mom: Honey … I can’t do that anymore here. The only way I can keep you safe is in Heaven. (My heart shattering)
Nolan: Sooooo I’ll just go to Heaven and play until you get there! You’ll come, right?
Mom: Absolutely!! You can’t get rid of Mommy that easy!!
Nolan: Thank you, Mommy!!! I’ll go play with Hunter and Brylee and Henry!!”
Nolan and his family spent together every moment they had lefy. He loved having his mother close by so he could hold her and touch her.
On the last day, Ruth was let off to take a quick shower. She closed the bathroom door, and a few moments later, her son had fallen into a deep sleep, beginning the end of his life, she said.
When she opened the bathroom door again, it was to find her son surrounded by his medical team. While she was taking a shower, Nolan had gone into a coma and his lungs had collapsed.
“I ran and jumped into bed with him and put my hand on the right side of his face. Then a miracle that I will never forget happened. My angel took a breath, opened his eyes, smiled at me and said ‘I Love You Mommy,’ turned his head towards me at 11:54 pm Sgt. Rollin Nolan Scully passed away as I was singing ‘You are My Sunshine’ in his ear.”
Sharing her precious memories online, she included a side-by-side photograph of the bathroom floor. Nolan loved laying on the bathmat outside.
While it’s hard for his family to accept this loss, they knew that his goodbye was a temporary one. They knew that he was a child of unwavering faith. This thought comforts them to the day.
“The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. In that day they will say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:8-9
