It has been two years since we sat down with Maverick Schwartzenburg.
He was four at the time and getting treatment at St. Jude.
Maverick would mark a "X" on the calendar as he counted down the days to his goal of being cancer free.
"It was a lot at once," Steven Schwartzenburg said back in 2019. "We knew we had to get through it and St. Jude was the only way to do that. We knew they would help us do that."
Today, not much has changed for Maverick, except the fact that he's cancer-free, in school, playing, sports, and living his best life.
"When we finished our journey, I have a picture of him marking the last "x" off in the "Hope Square" on campus," Michael Schwartzenburg, Maverick's father, said.
"I don't remember the chart," Maverick cut in.
"You don't remember the chart that we would mark off every week we'd finish chemo?" Michael asked.
"Oh, yea! I remember," Maverick said.
"I have a video; you want me to give it to you?" I asked.
"No." Maverick said.
We all laughed, and Michael said, "It's probably a good thing."
For parents Stevie and Michael, though, that time in their life was a tough one. There was a fear of not knowing.
Today, that fear is slowly subsiding. Maverick is finally able to enjoy the life he was meant to live.
"It is behind us, but I think Covid put us back in that pre---or cancer treatment being in isolation," Stevie said. "It's different because now we're in remission and we're not dealing with all of the chemo, meds, and port in our chest. Now we can be regular boy and enjoy our friends, sports, and this new normal."
"I would definitely say we have an appreciation of life; We don't take the little things for granted--
"We lost our championship," Maverick said as he looked up at his dad.
"You lost your championship but not your battle with cancer, buddy, that's the most important thing," Michael reminded him.
"I'm talking about baseball," Maverick said.
"We're talking about baseball," Michael laughed. "More important things to a six-year-old kid."
Stevie and Michael both have this to say to anyone just starting their cancer journey or battling it for years:
"There will be good days and bad days," Michael said. "Harp on the good days and get through the bad days. We've seen that firsthand, whether that's been through infected ports or medicine not working and having to have a game change, don't let that discourage you. There is always the ability to work and trust the doctors because they know what they're doing. Trust the system and be comforted in knowing there are other survivors out there that have had it far worse. Here we are with the success story of Maverick."
"It's also a journey that's been traveled before, so there are people out there ready to support, share their experiences, and be there for each other," Stevie said.