Chris Betancourt and Dillon Hill are best friends.
When Dillon, 19, found out that Chris, who has lived with cancer since the fifth grade, had only one year to live, he decided to dedicate that year to his dear friend.
And so the pair will spend the next year fulfilling items on a bucket list for Chris, 20.
They have created a website called My Best Friend: One List One Life and are documenting some of the bucket list items on a Youtube channel and on other social media sites.
Chris Betancourt (left) and Dillon Hill (right) are best friends from Sacramento, California
Chris has lived with chronic myeloid leukemia since the fifth grade. He was told in September 2017
The friends (pictured with another man at right) are devoting the next year to fulfilling bucket list items for Chris. They also hope to find a bone marrow donor
A post on the website by Dillon reads: ‘In late October, Chris called and told me his cancer was returning.
‘He said: ”I’m afraid I won’t be able to experience the things I want to in life.”
‘I decided to drop out of college to spend time experiencing our bucket list together.
‘We are actively looking for a Bone Marrow donor to help Chris win this fight, his last hope to defeat cancer once again.
‘My Best Friend is the story of Chris’ life. Join us in our journey to document, experience, and inspire all of the amazing things that make life worth living.’
Their website states: ‘When Dillon’s best friend was diagnosed at such a young age, he didn’t quite understand what was happening but he knew he needed to help. He swore to become a doctor so that he could help Chris, but in the meantime Dillon brought as many video games as possible to help distract Chris from his hospital stay’
Chris had been enrolled as Sacramento City College and was studying to become an IT specialist
The duo became friends after Chris moved from North Carolina to California at the age of 10.
Chris was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia.
The website states: ‘When Dillon’s best friend was diagnosed at such a young age, he didn’t quite understand what was happening but he knew he needed to help.
‘He swore to become a doctor so that he could help Chris, but in the meantime Dillon brought as many video games as possible to help distract Chris from his hospital stay.’
In high school, Dillon, ‘completely breaking best-friend policy,’ dated Chris’s sister.
When said sister took her own life, it brought the best friends closer.
Eventually, they even found a non-profit organization called Gamers Gift which brings virtual reality experiences to people who otherwise would not be able to experience them (people who are wheelchair-bound or are in a hospital, for example).
Both later went to college; Chris studied at Sacramento City College with the hope of becoming an IT professional.
Dillon told KCRA: ‘It really comes down to he needs a bone marrow donor.’ He added: ‘If we can’t do that and it comes to the worst possible case, and we lose Chris – the last year of his life is going to be documented and it’s going to be shared with millions of people’
But in September 2017, he learned that the number of cancer cells in his body had dramatically increased and his doctors told me he only had one year to live.
And so, the best friends are doing their best to make the year count.
Dillon has taken a year off from college to experience the bucket list.
One recent video shows them distributing food to the homeless on Thanksgiving.
Also, the duo hopes to find a bone marrow donor to give Chris a fighting chance at survival.
Dillon told KCRA: ‘It really comes down to he needs a bone marrow donor.’
He added: ‘If we can’t do that and it comes to the worst possible case, and we lose Chris – the last year of his life is going to be documented and it’s going to be shared with millions of people.’