Former Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse (R) revealed days before Christmas that he has been diagnosed with metastatic stage-four pancreatic cancer, calling it a “death sentence.”
“This is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die,” the former lawmaker shared on X in a candid message.
“Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence,” he wrote.
“But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do. I’m blessed with amazing siblings and half-a-dozen buddies that are genuinely brothers. As one of them put it, “Sure, you’re on the clock, but we’re all on the clock.” Death is a wicked thief, and the bastard pursues us all.”
Still, I’ve got less time than I’d prefer. This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad. I can’t begin to describe how great my people are. During the past year, as we’d temporarily stepped back from public life and built new family rhythms, Melissa and I have grown even closer — and that on top of three decades of the best friend a man could ever have. Seven months ago, Corrie was commissioned into the Air Force and she’s off at instrument and multi-engine rounds of flight school. Last week, Alex kicked butt graduating from college a semester early even while teaching gen chem, organic, and physics (she’s a freak). This summer, 14-year-old Breck started learning to drive. (Okay, we’ve been driving off-book for six years — but now we’ve got paper to make it street-legal.) I couldn’t be more grateful to constantly get to bear-hug this motley crew of sinners and saints. There’s not a good time to tell your peeps you’re now marching to the beat of a faster drummer — but the season of advent isn’t the worst. As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come,” Sasse continued.
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This was a brave and beautiful message. I don’t live in your state but your community has been fortunate to have you help lead them. Your family sounds special. Always look for a miracle.
You have our prayers and concerns.
God Bless!
Marty Comito
Lower Lake Ca.
Oh this makes me so sad. I am so sorry for Ben Sasse and his family. How I wish someone could come up with a cure for that disease. I hope and wish that he will have no pain. But he is right in that we all have a death sentence and don’t know when our time will come but we have to live our lives like each day is our last and stay close to God