Life can alter course in an ordinary, unexpected instant. Many people navigate personal crises, health emergencies, and life-threatening diagnoses without warning, leaving them searching for direction, emotional strength, and mental clarity. When medical crises strike, the sheer weight of fear and uncertainty can easily overwhelm individuals and their loved ones.
Author Lenny J. DeFranco addresses these life-altering moments through his memoir, I Was Eating a Pop-Tart: An Autobiography of One Man's Faith in God and Surviving Cancer. Drawing on his personal journey through health battles and spiritual perseverance, DeFranco offers readers an honest roadmap for overcoming adversity with deep faith and enduring purpose. In this Executive Q&A, DeFranco discusses the inspiration behind his book, the faith in Jesus that enables him to endure serious trauma, and how putting your trust in Jesus can provide the living hope when life’s trials can knock the wind out of your sails.
Q: What prompted the striking title I Was Eating a Pop-Tart, and how does that opening moment capture the sudden nature of personal crisis?
Lenny: I was literally eating a Pop Tart, while watching TV, about 3 years after my second battle with cancer,of which I’ve had three, when I took a bite and felt something very sharp and painful in my mouth. I thought maybe I had damaged my gums with the hard edge of the pop tart, however, subsequent visits to my oncologist and one biopsy later revealed a new tumor, unlike the first two, that required major resections of my tongue, this tumor was in my left jaw. I’d have to say that, at that point in time I thought I was through with cancer. I was still able to eat, I was back to work as a respiratory care practitioner, I was pastoring a church, and I was also a chaplain for the Philadelphia Police Department, 8th District. I was back to my routine. Then, I ate that Pop Tart, and, in an instant, things changed.
Q: When faced with severe medical adversity and life-altering news, what were the core mental and emotional hurdles you had to confront first?
Lenny: Shock, knowing that it had returned, for a third time! Just when I thought I was done with it. You are never prepared for something like that. Emotionally, I was thrown for a loop. I called my wife and immediately told her, “It’s back!” I cried to God, “Why,
again?” There’s something different about living your life knowing there is cancer in your body. Just when your mind gets preoccupied with something else, after a while, that knowledge that cancer has invaded your body and it’s still there returns! I had lived with that feeling twice before, I wasn’t so sure I could do it again!
Q: Faith and spiritual grounding are central themes in your writing. How did your personal beliefs guide you through the darkest moments of treatment and recovery?
Lenny: I grew up “religious,” I believed there was a God, only went to church because I had to, went to confession, yet, that didn’t change my heart, I was just “going through the motions,” following the traditions of the church, but, I had no real faith, no personal relationship with Jesus. When I was 16 I split from the church, God, etc. I figured as long as I was a good person, I’d go to heaven. How wrong I was!
Then, when I was 25, my brother and sister in law, who were already Christians, invited me to church. That service changed my whole life, because during the pastor’s message, I felt God’s presence around me, I knew the Lord was speaking to my heart, He showed me all the sins I had done, for the first time in my life, I finally realized that I was not a “good person,” I was a sinner, that I was headed for destruction, but Jesus told me that He loved me and wanted to guide my life! At that very moment, I truly repented of my sins and asked Jesus to come into my heart and guide my life! Not only was I now guaranteed eternal life, but I finally had a true, personal relationship with Christ!
Since that day, Jesus has guided my life, so, when I was confronted with cancer, three times, despite my anxiety and questions, I knew I could, and did, turn to Jesus Christ! You see, having a personal relationship with Jesus has rooted me in His foundation. He is the rock on which I stand, because I know I do not have the kind of strength that only Jesus can give! I spend time alone with Him, everyday, in prayer and studying His Word, the Bible. This is how I was, and am, able to navigate all the trials that life hits me with. I know that without Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I could not have made it through. I know that during all three cancer battles, He is the One that helped me through, comforting me, holding me up, giving me a peace and joy that goes beyond any and all human comprehension! He has blessed me with a loving wife, three children, nine grandchildren and one great grandson. The love and support from my wife and kids just cannot be understated.
Q: Memoirs that address trauma and serious illness demand extreme vulnerability. Was it difficult to share such candid personal details with readers?
Lenny: No, because there is a message in all my cancer battles, that despite going through the initial shock of that phone call from the oncologist, telling me I had cancer, questions and concerns about the surgery, anxiety, and there was no escaping the fact that cancer had invaded my body, I turned to Christ! The one take away I want anyone who reads this to know, is that the most important relationship anyone can have is with Jesus Christ! He can do what you can’t do for yourself, He can forgive your sins, grant you eternal life and guide your path! And it can all start for you when you admit that you are a sinner, that you can’t save yourself, and ask Jesus to forgive your sins and accept Him into your heart as Lord and Savior!
Look, we all go through various trials and issues in life, and most times there’s no warning! One day seems just like the next, till it isn’t, yet no matter what, you can turn to the Lord, when something happens, you need to find strength, wisdom, comfort, and yes, a loving family is a great blessing, this I know to be true, for God provided me with the love and support of my wife and kids. Yet, God can give you strength that you don’t have, wisdom that you need, a comfort and peace greater than you can ever fathom. The strength and courage you may see in me, comes from God, not me.
Q: What practical advice or perspective do you share with caregivers and families supporting a loved one through a prolonged health crisis?
Lenny: I can only go by my experiences, both as a patient and from having served 40 years as a respiratory care practitioner working in trauma and critical care. As a caregiver or family member, it’s not easy to care for a loved one. Your heart is invested in a way that is different from someone you may not know so well. They put their lives on hold, meeting the needs of their father, mother, sister, brother, or child. It’s something you can’t fully understand until you’re there. It’s not easy, the patient can go through different moods, they may just sob or cry, without even knowing why, depending on what they’re recovering from, it can affect them in a variety of ways. It’s an adjustment, but, prayerfully, things will regulate to a “new normal,” which may look different from what you are used to. It can take time, especially if your loved one’s life will change on a long term basis. There may be things they can no longer do, things that they enjoyed, or are used to, but, the best way to navigate is to take it one day at a time.
When I came home from the hospital, I watched my wife put her own needs on hold and focus her life on taking care of me. She never complained, was always loving, supportive. Our kids, who are all adults, were not only concerned for me, but constantly watching out for their mother, making sure she got breaks and was taking care of herself. Our daughter Jenny was especially hands on. Of all our three kids, she’s the “medical” one of the group. Her and my wife learned what had to be done for my wounds, after my third surgery I came home with a trach, and that required a certain amount of care. I also had a peg tube, something else that I didn’t have after the first and second surgeries. I can’t eat anymore and my wife and Jenny were helping me navigate my nutrition. There were, and to a much lesser degree, still are, doctor appointments that had to be kept up on
It requires a lot of patience,listening, time and adjusting. I know that some people may have their own ways to cope, which is necessary, but, since you’re asking me, I can honestly tell you that Jesus Christ is the way! That’s why I thank God, because only through Him can we really get what we need to survive a serious medical illness or surgery. My wife and kids are all Christians and so it helps that we all rely on the goodness of God for our strength, guidance and comfort and His wisdom each and everyday.
Q: What main lesson or mindset do you hope readers take away from your story when confronting their own unexpected challenges?
Lenny: Having a way to cope through life’s struggles is important. Like I said, I know some may have other ways they use to get through life’s difficulties, however, having gone through three battles with cancer myself, in 1991, 2020 and the third in 2023, which brought the most changes and necessary adjustments in my life, I cannot stress enough the power of prayer and having a deep rooted faith in Jesus Christ. Also, the encouragement and help from family and friends.
Navigating major illness and life-threatening disruption requires more than medical intervention; it demands psychological resolve, authentic support systems, and spiritual endurance. By sharing a candid account of sudden vulnerability and hard-won survival, Lenny J. DeFranco provides a relatable anchor for anyone confronting deep personal hardship.
Stories of resilience serve as vital reminders that a diagnosis or tragedy does not get the final say. Through disciplined faith, honest reflection, and steady courage, individuals facing profound crises can discover renewed strength and purpose. DeFranco's work stands as testament to the power of perseverance in the face of life's greatest uncertainties.
To learn more visit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CGYQ2VJ3
