October 29, 2009

"He always had a smile on his face, no matter what was going on," said Jamie Lewis, a friend of Shane Christensen.

18 year old Shane Christensen, a smiling teenager and recent Redmond High graduate was always optimistic even while battling cancer.

Shane died from a rare form of bone cancer early Monday morning. The word used most often to describe his personality is inspirational.

"Cancer was just a tag-along and he found ways to work around that and he inspired others and he felt the greatest thing that he could do in this life was make a difference, and that he did," said Eric Christensen, Shane's father.

Diagnosed with cancer in 2006 after having severe pain in his leg, he had part of that leg amputated. After a second amputation surgery doctors thought Shane was cancer free. Until May of 2007 when the cancer spread to his lungs. It was stage four with no cure. The day he found out the cancer was back he sought the comfort of a high school teacher and sat with her while absorbing the news.

"It meant a lot because he was such a special kid and I knew he felt safe there I knew he felt good. It was very important to me and the kids that he wanted to be with us when it was kinda scary news," said Valerie Shelton, a teacher at Redmond High School.

Shane was such an inspiration KOHD News featured him in a special report about cancer last July.

His favorite pastime was working on his truck. Through that he met employees at the car accessory business Sounds Fast in Bend.
They became so close, there's now a shrine in Shane's memory at the store.

"I just learned from Shane not to let the little things get ya down and bring you down in life more than anything," said Lewis.

There will be a Celebration of Life in Shane's honor Sunday at 1:30pm at The Riverhouse Convention Center in Bend.