I had a headache that wouldn’t go away. Now I know it is brain cancer and I will never see my children grow up
A new dad has revealed how a persistent headache turned out to be terminal brain cancer and he is unsure how much time he has left to live.
In the spring of 2024, Dustin Young of Arizona experienced long-lasting headaches and vision loss when he made sudden movements.
It eventually got so bad that he suffered from headaches for two weeks and no medication relieved the pain – prompting him to see a doctor.
He and his wife Sera went to the hospital in May 2024, and doctors dismissed Dustin’s symptoms as migraine attacks. However, the Youngs were not entirely convinced and sought a second opinion.
Dustin also began experiencing strange, unexplained symptoms, including dizziness, blackouts and forgetfulness. Then in July the couple learned he had a tumor the size of a baseball pressing against his brain.
Sera said on TikTok: We went in for that MRI, and they found him, and of course he was immediately sent to the ER, because it’s a very large tumor.”
The tumor was pressing on his frontal lobe, the area of the brain essential for making decisions, processing information and judging.
Doctors removed it on July 15, but just two weeks later the couple discovered it was not a benign mass. He had terminal brain cancer.
Dustin and Sera Young (from left to right with their son Tex) have been married for seven years. Their world was turned upside down when it was confirmed in July that Dustin had terminal brain cancer
Aggressive malignant brain cancers have an overall average life expectancy of 12 to 18 months with treatment
Sera told People: ‘My husband called me on the phone crying.
“The neurologist… told us he should be having seizures; it shouldn’t even function.’
“There’s no cure for it,” Sera added.
The couple immediately began to worry about their one-year-old son, Tex.
Sera called their situation “a ticking time bomb” that would rob them of a life full of vacations, birthdays, first days of school and other life milestones together.
Sera said, “We cried for four days straight.
‘What about our baby? Will my husband see him grow up?’
The doctors have told the couple that it is not a question of if Dustin will die from the cancer, but when.
Life expectancies for different types of brain cancer vary widely, and Sera has not revealed which type specifically plagues her husband.
Aggressive malignant brain cancers have an overall average life expectancy of 12 to 18 months when treated.
The doctors have told the couple that it is not a question of if Dustin will die from the cancer, but when
Your browser does not support iframes.
Since the tumor was removed from his frontal lobe, Dustin has been undergoing chemotherapy.
Sera lovingly said on TikTok that Dustin is interested in outdoor and extreme sports. One of his favorite things to do is skip rocks and loves a good steak. He naps constantly and has an infectious laugh.
“He’s the best dad, the best person a little boy could have as a dad. They are each other’s minis and I hope we have years of memories of these two together.”
In their search for support, they turned to therapy and online communities.
Sera and Dustin took their story to social media and eventually went viral.
“We dealt with our situation with a lot of dark humor,” she said.
“I posted a video that I thought was funny because it related to our experience of denial and surprise.”
The comments included a mix of condolences, prayers and stories from others who had faced similar diagnoses.
Dustin has created a bucket list that includes attending a Dallas Cowboys game at their home stadium in Arizona. He also writes personal letters for their son to read as he grows older
In recent months, Sera has remained active on TikTok, sharing updates on her husband’s prognosis and her own grieving process through various videos, as her community continues to grow.
Now the family is focusing on making the most of the time they have left together.
Dustin has made a bucket list of things he wants to do before he gets too sick and can’t do it anymore. It includes attending a Dallas Cowboys game at their home stadium in Arizona.
He also writes personal letters for their son to read as he grows older.
“It taught us how important it is to spend time together as happily and close as possible,” Sera said. “We’re trying to make the best of life with the cards we’ve been dealt.”