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Teen posts poignant and inspiring farewell to YouTube

"Live life to the fullest," advised Shaun Wilson-Miller on YouTube. Viewers of the viral video have helped the 17-year-old do just that.  

 

Fruzsina Eördögh

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Posted on May 14, 2012   Updated on Jun 2, 2021, 5:11 pm CDT

Following the failure of his second heart transplant, Shaun Wilson-Miller turned to YouTube with his tearful video, “My Final Goodbye.”

The 17-year-old old Australian resident suffers from chronic heart rejection and was told by doctors he doesn’t have long to live.

“I won’t be here for as long as I thought… but I want to say, is that has been an awesome ride, and I have no regrets. … Live life to the fullest, because you never know what’s going to happen.”

Wilson-Miller’s video, which was originally intended for his family and Facebook friends, has currently been viewed 1.3 million times since being posted on May 1. Much like Ben Breedlove’s poignant farewell message late last year, the video has inspired countless response videos and even songs.

Besides the media attention and the influx of supportive comments, Wilson-Miller has gone on to appear in a variety of Australian TV shows, and he’s even met his favorite soccer star, Essendon captain Jobe Watson, The Australian reported.

But that hasn’t made the inevitable grieving process any easier for Wilson-Miller’s family.

“I just pray that it’s quick. I don’t want him to suffer,” his father Cameron Miller told The Australian. “No parent should have to bury their child. But he’s just loving life and he wants us to do the same. He doesn’t want us to cry for him.”

Photo via YouTube

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*First Published: May 14, 2012, 4:16 pm CDT