Antwoine Fordham, 19 at the time, was just minding his own business; thinking about things young dudes think of as he was approaching his 20th birthday and more so his 21st with an eye on planning a trip to Las Vegas with friends.
The Fordhams have lived on Pine Street since Antwoine was an infant. He graduated from Bristol High School two years ago still figuring it all out, he said, meaning what kind of career he would like to pursue.
“Twoine” as his friends and family affectionately call him, came home one day from his job at Urban Outfitters on Green Lane in Bristol Township.
“I noticed my calf was swollen,” he said. The pain in his calf then became so intense he could not walk.
From the end of May, his mother Heather said, until about August 1, there were appointments and tests. A sense started developing, for mom and son, that this was not any kind of ordinary health issue and was finally confirmed at Jefferson Bucks Hospital. While he was still finding his way in the world, the young man was told he has soft tissue Sarcoma Cancer. From there, “they took him quickly,” Heather said, transferring him to Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia.
Everything at once sped up and stopped for Antwoine and Heather.
He stopped working because of the cancer and put his plans to explore video game design at community college on hold.
Heather, who works for Wawa in Hamilton, New Jersey and has been with the company for the last six years or so, consulted with the store’s management team, receiving all the support they could give in terms of her work schedule.
Antwoine was scheduled for chemo treatments and “I had to be there for each one no matter what,” Heather said.
I was scared, but I’ve been positive about the whole thing, Antwoine said during a late August interview.
Heather was scared too. This mother-son bond had the same thought process between the two. Stay calm, stay informed, take action. It is truly noticeable when you speak to both in person. Heather has the skill of censoring herself in public settings, informing her son’s thoughtfulness, maturity, and willingness to share with a stranger his inner dialogue in a private setting.
At the time, the worst of outcomes had yet to rear its cancerous head and Antwoine spoke of it in a way that was impressive.
When we spoke in September, he was matter of fact and direct when responding to questions about possible amputation.
“It was the first time and last time I cried during this whole thing,” Antwoine said, “I thought about how I was going to get around, work, you know things like that.”
It is a stunning response marketing agencies couldn’t even phantom coming from an adult, let alone a 19-year-old man.
The worst outcome became a reality on November 12, when his left leg was amputated. Heather in a text exchange after sharing the news with friends and family said, Antwoine was prepared for this outcome.
The next step in this journey is being fitted for a prosthetic.
The cost of the prosthetic is yet to be known, that’s why the Go Fund Me page is still live, Heather said, at first, I posted it to offset costs, etc., while we navigated the health care system.
“We could still use any help we can get.”
Antwoine has an army behind him, she said last week, but any donation will help.
Antwoine had just arrived home from the hospital and was resting, gearing up for the next fight he faces. His leg became infected last week. He’s scheduled for more chemo treatments as part of the normal post-surgical protocol, Heather said.
His challenge now is learning to thrive despite being an amputee at the age of 20.
It is Christmas and his actual steps are going to matter in ways that cannot be measured right now. But they will be significant in deciding what roads and life-choices he makes.
If you can. donate to the cause. If you can’t that’s ok too. But do join his Army, because from our vantage point, he is an impressive young man still trying to figure it out.
Editor’s Note: You can also read every update Heather posted on the Go Fund Me Page. The posts are gut wrenching but true to form.
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