On Christmas morning of 2011, I woke up to one thing that would change my life. It was not an expensive present or a surprise family vacation, but extremely shocking news. My social media timeines were splattered with the very words that would break hundreds of hearts. At first I didn’t believe it–in fact I refused to believe it. Ben Breedlove had passed away.
Ben was a senior at Westlake High School in Austin Texas. He suffered from very serious heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. That holiday morning, Ben experienced cardiac arrest and passed away. But Ben’s death would not be forgotten.
Just seven days before Ben’s death, he made a YouTube video titled “This is my Story”. Using no words and only notecards, Ben told his story and how his heart condition affected his life. His condition made him very susceptible to death and he told of three separate times that he cheated death. But the most significant time took place his senior year. On December 6, 2011 at school between classes Ben began to feel dizzy so he sat down on a bench. It was then that he passed out and became unconscious. 911 was called and paramedics rushed to the school. Shock pads were placed on his chest and after three minutes without oxygen, Ben was brought back to life.
In his video Ben tells exactly what went though his mind on that day. Ben said that he saw a bright white light, and he was wearing a suit. He was standing net to his favorite rapper, Kid Cudi. Mr. Rager, Ben’s favorite Cudi song, was playing in the background. The specific lyrics Ben heard were “When will the fantasy end, when will the heaven begin?” In his video Ben said that this was the happiest he had ever felt in his life. He ends the video asking the question “Do you believe in angles or God? I do.”
My whole school grieved for Ben. 1,400 people attended his funeral. But soon his video would become viral. The video had gone from a few hundred views to thousands in just one day. Kid Cudi saw the video and took notice. Cudi responded with
“I am so sad about Ben Breedlove. I watched the video he left for the world to see, and him seeing me in detail, in his vision really warmed my heart. I broke down, I am to tears because I hate how life is so unfair. This has really touched my heart in a way I cant describe, this is why I do what I do.”
He even dedicated his latest album, Indicud, to Ben.
On October 29, 2013 Ben’s older sister Ally released her book about Ben’s life called When Will The Heaven Begin? This book tells the story of Ben’s life from the perspective of his sister.
Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Ben. He had this smile that was infectious, and every person that Ben met instantly loves him. The thing that means the most to me is the amount of people who have been affected by Ben. He was just a normal teenager, but he has inspired millions of people. He is very missed, and it is satisfying to know that he will never be forgotten. Watch his videos, and then share your responses in the comments below!