Beauty in Death - One Man's Message to His Baby Girl and the World

Nick, Alyssa, and Austyn Magnotti

 I saw this video today and was so moved by it that I knew I had to share with you.  Some of you may have already heard about Nick Magnotti and his struggle with cancer.  I had not until this morning.

Their Story . . .

Nick Magnotti and his wife, Alyssa, were married in 2008.  They were happily in love with each other and more importantly they were both in love with their Lord and Savior.

In 2011, Nick began having severe pain in his abdomen while he was at work.  It worsened the next day and he was taken to see a doctor.  A large tumor was found through exploratory surgery and he was diagnosed with Mucinous Adenocarcinoma - a rare form of appendix cancer.  Major surgery was performed to remove the tumor.  After he recovered from this surgery, life returned back to a sense of normalcy.

In July of 2012, the couple found out they were pregnant with their first child.  Nick had always wanted children and was beyond excited.  Nick and Alyssa still traveled back and forth to the doctor for scans to see if Nick's cancer was returning.  Nick's abdominal pain began to flare up again in September of 2012.  Their fears were realized in October when Nick's doctor discovered that his cancer had returned.  Worse yet, it had spread throughout the rest of his abdomen.  Chemotherapy treatments were started in hopes that his tumors would shrink enough to perform another surgery.

Their beautiful baby girl, Austyn, was born on March 26, 2013.  Nick and Alyssa were so happy to welcome this new addition into their family.  However, Nick was still fighting a heated battle with his cancer.  Another surgery was attempted only to show that the cancerous tumors had spread even more, undetected by pre-surgery scans.  Nick went through several more chemotherapy treatments before the tumors became resistant.  The miserable side effects of the chemo had also proved to be more than Nick could take. Nick's goal at this time was to live as long as he possibly could to be with his wife and see his daughter grow. 

Nick passed away on January 7, 2014 at the age of 27.  He was ready to meet his Savior and his family knows they will meet him again someday in heaven.  Alyssa said of her husband on their blog (teammagnotti.org), "Anyone who knew Nick will remember him for his infectious smile, generous heart, loving compassion and sound belief in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." 
    

In Reflection . . .

As I dwell on this family's story, it amazes me how positive this man was able to stay in the face of such painful circumstances.  The thought of only having a brief period of time to be physically present in my child's life would be so overwhelming for me.  I can't help but think about what I would do if my husband or I were in the same situation.  Would I be able to stay strong for my family?  Would I question God and His purposes?  What kind of legacy would I leave behind for my child?  The video below was made by Nick and Alyssa to make an impact in the lives of others and for Austyn to be able to someday see who her Daddy was.  Please watch the video and share this post with others.  It was Nick's hope that his life would make a difference in the lives of others.  Let's help keep his story going and continue to pray for the Magnotti family!

Nick's Video . . .