Terminally ill cancer kid gets to be a Marine

Brigadier General Walker Field swears Jack Lowe into the Marine Corps

Jack Lowe is the latest Honorary United States Marine, a rare distinction given only with the personal approval of the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Lowe, just 17 years old, has dreamed of being a Marine his whole life, just like his father, a retired staff sergeant, was. Unfortunately, Lowe came down a couple years ago with a rare form of bone cancer. He fought through it, but the cancer returned. It’s now terminal, shattering Lowe’s dream of wearing the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. That is, until the Corps caught wind of his dream, and made it come true. With the brigadier general giving the young man the EGAs off his own uniform. Jack was then able to attend a Marine Corps Ball (the notoriously rowdy celebrations of the Corps’ birth) as a Marine.

Get some tissues ready for the Marine Corps Times story;

Jack Lowe’s dream always had been to become a Marine.

Born in Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, California, he was about 5 years old when he decided he would pursue the Marine Corps, the 17-year-old told Marine Corps Times on Tuesday. He wanted to be like his dad, now-retired Staff Sgt. Daniel Lowe, 47.

In his first few years of high school in Flowery Branch, Georgia, Jack Lowe was a standout swimmer who cracked up his teachers and coaches and always got good grades, according to his father.

In March 2022, as a high school junior, Jack Lowe was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, according to a Marine Corps news story. He received 36 proton radiation treatments while completing in-patient chemotherapy.

Six months later, having been deemed cancer-free, he left the hospital.

He still was determined to become a Marine, Arin Davis, Daniel Lowe’s wife, who has raised Jack Lowe since he was young, told Marine Corps Times.

But in August, doctors discovered the cancer had returned and spread to his upper body, according to the Marine Corps story. He went through six weeks of experimental chemotherapy, but the cancer aggressively grew and spread through his body.

His doctors found his cancer was resistant to chemotherapy and declared his illness to be terminal, affording him only a “short window of life,” according to the Marine Corps story. Tired of being “poked and prodded,” Jack Lowe asked his family to stop treatment.

“We’re hoping that there’s still a miracle waiting for us,” Davis said.

The family didn’t know honorary Marines even existed until speaking with their Marine veteran neighbor, who mentioned he was working with a local recruiter to try to get the title for Jack Lowe, according to Daniel Lowe.

The honorary Marine program, which recognizes civilians with extraordinary contributions and ties to the Marine Corps, started in 1992.

It’s a rare honor, requiring approval from the commandant of the Marine Corps. As of July, there hadn’t even been 75 honorary Marines in the program’s history.

Daniel Lowe said he brought up the possibility of the title to his son’s godmother, who works with the Wounded Warrior Project. She got to work.

So did the Marine Corps.

Less than a week later, Brig. Gen. Walker Field, the commanding general of Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, came to the family’s home to designate Jack Lowe an honorary Marine.

Daniel Lowe said the Marine Corps told him Commandant Gen. Eric Smith had wanted to attend himself, but Smith went into cardiac arrest Oct. 29 and has since been recovering in a Washington hospital.

Much more at the source, which I encourage you all to read.

Category: Feel Good Stories, Marines