BAKERSFIELD, CA -- The family of a Bakersfield man whose battle with cancer inspired the community shared his story Monday. A.J. Vaughn died from the disease last month and 17 News had a chance to sit down with his mother, Joyce Vaughn, Monday night.
"He left this earth though with his eyes looking to heaven and a smile on his face,” Joyce said.
In the summer of 2009, A.J. was in a motorcycle accident on his way to work and when he went to see the doctor tests revealed he had stage four lung cancer.
“They said because it had already spread to my brain it would be three to six months death sentence,” A.J. told 17 News in 2012.
But he did not let the disease beat him.
"He served others even as sick as he was," Joyce said.
Vaughn found a unique way to help other cancer victims by passing around a purple toilet to flush away cancer. People would wake up to find the purple potty sitting in their front yard, with a note, letting them know where it came from and how to get rid of it.
"They have to pay the ransom of $15 to get it removed. For $20, we'll take it and deliver it to the next person of your choosing,” A.J. said.
Vaughn chose to name his cancer "dead cat" after the smell of his chemotherapy treatments.
“Everything stinks, my breath, my sweat, food doesn't taste good,” A.J. said. “I just have this funk. I'm always smelling. And (the doctor) is like oh you have dead cat syndrome. He says imagine there's this dead cat underneath your porch and it gets pulled out and every once in awhile, you just get this stink around you.”
A.J. thought the name was fitting and decided to name his Relay for Life team 'dead cat'. He had shirts made to raise money for cancer research.
Vaughn's mother said he was always looking for a positive outcome, and they want to continue that as his legacy.
"Because he doesn't want people to cry he wants people to celebrate his life," Joyce said.
That celebration of life is planned for Tuesday January, 7 at Olive Knolls Church at 3 p.m. If you have a team 'dead cat' t-shirt, you are asked to please wear it to honor A.J.
"He left this earth though with his eyes looking to heaven and a smile on his face,” Joyce said.
In the summer of 2009, A.J. was in a motorcycle accident on his way to work and when he went to see the doctor tests revealed he had stage four lung cancer.
“They said because it had already spread to my brain it would be three to six months death sentence,” A.J. told 17 News in 2012.
But he did not let the disease beat him.
"He served others even as sick as he was," Joyce said.
Vaughn found a unique way to help other cancer victims by passing around a purple toilet to flush away cancer. People would wake up to find the purple potty sitting in their front yard, with a note, letting them know where it came from and how to get rid of it.
"They have to pay the ransom of $15 to get it removed. For $20, we'll take it and deliver it to the next person of your choosing,” A.J. said.
Vaughn chose to name his cancer "dead cat" after the smell of his chemotherapy treatments.
“Everything stinks, my breath, my sweat, food doesn't taste good,” A.J. said. “I just have this funk. I'm always smelling. And (the doctor) is like oh you have dead cat syndrome. He says imagine there's this dead cat underneath your porch and it gets pulled out and every once in awhile, you just get this stink around you.”
A.J. thought the name was fitting and decided to name his Relay for Life team 'dead cat'. He had shirts made to raise money for cancer research.
Vaughn's mother said he was always looking for a positive outcome, and they want to continue that as his legacy.
"Because he doesn't want people to cry he wants people to celebrate his life," Joyce said.
That celebration of life is planned for Tuesday January, 7 at Olive Knolls Church at 3 p.m. If you have a team 'dead cat' t-shirt, you are asked to please wear it to honor A.J.