Student who fought cancer 3 times dies just days after his 17th birthday

The brave teenager practiced what he loved and stayed positive to his last breath after spending most of his life battling cancer. He lives on through his example and in the memory of those who met him and were inspired by him.

17-year-old Jesse Schott, a student from North Bullitt High School, in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, died the night of June 25 in the company of his loved ones, WDRB reported.

Despite his young age, Schott seemed wise and experienced after all the efforts he had to make to live every day to its fullest, since he was diagnosed with cancer when he was only 3 years old. Read more on our Twitter account @amomama_usa

Schott never let that first diagnosis or the subsequent ones he had to face during his lifetime interpose between him and his dreams, and he managed to overcome his fragile health condition to achieve many impressive things.

He was very devoted to his school's Junior ROTC program and never let his illness stop him from performing his duties, as his JROTC teacher Gene Siles acknowledged.

‘He's my hero, like without question. He taught me how to live life with an ability to never let your darkest days define you,’ Siles shared.

Back in August 2017, although weakened after several cancer treatments, Schott marched out to the football field to command his school’s JROTC color guard for the season’s inaugural game.

‘It's really exciting. I've never been the [game] commander before. I can't wait to do it, and I think it's a wonderful thing,’ he said, in high spirits.

In December, after learning his cancer had spread, and undergoing an aggressive treatment, he surprised everybody at his school once again by taking part in a competitive drill meet.

When asked about how he found the energy to get through it, he simply answered: ‘I just went and did it.’

After his first two encounters with brain cancer as a young child, Schott learned that his cancer had returned 12 years later, the summer of 2017. On his latest fight, he went endured 10 rounds of chemotherapy, to no success.

His family said he died peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, and they thanked the local community for their continuing support through Schott’s struggle of many years. He died just three days after turning 17. May he rest in peace.