Aaron Palmer, a financial planner based out of Tacoma, Washington, shared the life-changing encounter he had with a young boy dying of cancer. The young boy, Ethan Hallmark, who died from his battle with the disease in 2014 at the age of 13, shared the message of Jesus with Palmer in such a profound way that it transformed his life.
In 2011, Palmer was on a trip to Hawaii to attend a friend’s wedding, where he indulged in his alcoholic tendencies, spending each day drunk. Illustrating the extent of his consumption, he admitted that he blacked out every single day. An avid golfer, Palmer brought his clubs along on the trip. Although, because of his constant daily drinking, he didn’t play a single round of golf.
During the early hours of one of Palmer’s last days on the island, he sought a sunrise on the beach while still inebriated from the night before. However, as he was walking down the shoreline, continuing to drink vodka, Palmer noticed a young boy fishing in the surf with his mother.
For some reason, Palmer felt called to approach the boy, Ethan Hallmark, asking his mom if he could speak to him. Ethan’s mother agreed, explaining that they were on his Make-A-Wish trip, fulfilling his lifelong dream of fishing on the beach.
“I see him down on the beach, close to the water, and I see a woman taking pictures of him with a real camera,” Palmer said. “Well, my son is part of Make-A-Wish Foundation, and this is part of his final wish that was granted to him,” Ethan’s mother answered. “He doesn’t have long to live.”
During the conversation between Hallmark and Palmer, the young boy shared a deep level of wisdom when discussing his condition. Despite the cancer that he would ultimately succumb to, Ethan displayed a genuine sense of happiness while communicating the hope found in Jesus Christ in such a manner that moved Palmer.
The early morning 30-minute conversation on that Hawaii beach would serve as one of the most important wake-up calls in Palmer’s life, motivating him to get his act together and pursue a relationship with God. 12 years later, he is sober, a father, and a successful business owner.
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“I couldn’t tell you exactly what he said,” Palmer recounted. However, he could recall the nature of the conversation and the powerful impact it had on him. “I saw a boy facing death who had more faith, and more happiness, and more hope than I had in my entire life.”
“I’m contemplating suicide because of alcoholism and completely depressed, and yet this little boy has cancer that’s going to take his life for sure and he has more hope, faith, and happiness than I do,” he continued.
When Palmer returned home, he quit drinking, joined an Alcoholics Anonymous group, and brought God into his life. After years of sobriety and faith, Aaron runs a thriving business with a wife and two children. Palmer and his family eventually connected with the Hallmarks, where they cherished Ethan’s memory while celebrating his positive impact.