The ambition, the dream, of many boys and young men is to become a pilot, preferably a fighter pilot.

This is the story of a young man who accomplished his childhood dream, who became an F-15C Eagle fighter pilot (“The coolest jet that man has ever created”) only to have to give it up a few years later because of a disease that presently has no cure or a way to halt its progression.

It is the story of 27-year-old U.S. Air Force Captain Cole Holloway, who was recently diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and had to relinquish his dream career and medically retire from the Air Force.

It is a heart wrenching story of a young man who – if medical statistics are correct – will no longer be with us in three to five years, a young man who refers to his life as “My short little life”

But there is nothing “little” about how Holloway and his lovely wife, Meghan Holloway, are dealing with their adversity.

Here is Holloway, “I’m going to hang out with my family and friends and make the most of the time I have left on earth…Most people live two to five years after their diagnosis. We’re hoping it’s longer than that, but obviously there’s no cure for it so, it is what it is; the cards have been dealt and I can’t do anything aside from look at them and bet however I may.”

Meghan remains positive, resilient and resolute Thinking back to the time when she heard the devastating news, she tells Staff Sgt. Jessica H. Smith, Pacific Air Forces Public affairs, “Not to say it was easy or anything, but overall I think I reacted better than he thought I would…I think him being open from the get-go helped me digest it a lot more; it’s kind of strange to say, but he came well-prepared. He was my pillar in that moment – he had meticulously wrapped this awful gift to hand over to me and did it with such grace that it was actually something I could digest in that moment.”

And once more Capt. Holloway, “I got to meet this crazy, awesome, beautiful wife of mine, I got to fly the coolest jet that man has ever created with the best bros you could ever ask for … in my short little life I’ve gotten to do some awesome things and I can reflect on that and be happy.”

Please read more about this amazing couple here, how they share their awesome and inspiring story of adversity and resilience and be sure to watch the video below released by Airman Magazine.

Dorian de Wind, Military Affairs Correspondent

The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.

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