In 2005, nothing could stop Rich Cronin from putting his mind, body and spirit into his plans to once again conquer the hit music scene. After negotiating a new recording contract, writing for the album with some of the industry’s top producers and getting himself ready to get back on stage, Rich extended a brief stay in New York and traveled to his home town of Kingston, Massachusetts to visit his family. 

It didn’t take Rich’s family long to notice the physical change in him. Blaming his weight loss, headaches and fatigue on extreme dieting, Rich was reluctant heed their concerns and agreed to take the stage with colleague and fellow Bostonian Jordan Knight. Being accustomed to spending 90 minutes on stage without fatigue, nobody was more shocked than Rich when a sharp pain in his side caused him to collapse after just one song. Rich knew something was wrong.  Originally diagnosed with mononucleosis, Rich extended his stay a little longer. 

He had no idea.
No idea that he’d be called for further tests.
No idea that he’d her the word “cancer.”
No idea that he wouldn’t return to Orlando at all. 

"The realization point for me was hearing my father ask the doctor, 'what are his chances?'  I looked at him in disbelief.  What did he mean. 'what are his chances' because that, to me, sounded like he was asking if I was going to live.  Then the doctor said, 'not so good.'  Then I knew this was bigger than I could ever imagine."

Rich completed several rounds of chemotherapy and achieved remission in 2006, only to be faced with his biggest nightmare....relapse.  In July of 2006, he received the stem cells of an unrelated donor off the National Marrow Donor Program registry.  This is proof positive that everyone holds inside themself the potential to save a life.

This is Rich's story.