while a titanium prosthesis to replace the diseased thigh bone was painstakingly developed, bruce suffered through rounds of chemo to disrupt the tumor. for 4 1/2 months, pneumonia, ear infections, dozens of pounds lost, three hospitalizations. >> i could just feel my body sort of slipping away. >> reporter: even as bruce was fighting for his life, the counsel of dads rallied around the family. some with daily phone calls, others weekly visits. jeff shumlen had a different tactic, one postcard a day every single day for a year. >> reporter: that's a lot of postcards to see them all like this, what's that like? >> i have to say, it's -- it's impressive to walk in here and see these postcards on the desk. i wanted bruce to know that i was with him. >> reporter: bruce needed those postcards. the hardest part was about to come.