WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former Marine David Deese is walking into a surprise. It's a revelation that comes with a hug of appreciation from Rachelle Tenace.
"When opportunities come up to help other people, I think it's our duty to step up and recognize somebody or offer a little love," she said.
She then presents him with a warrior's arrowhead. And then, the tears begin to fall.
"Very unexpected. I feel like I don't deserve it, never had anything like this before," Deese said.
David said he's been fighting pancreatic cancer and recently found out his cancer is in remission.
Tenace's son Luca works with David at Elisabetta's Ristorante in West Palm Beach.
"As I'm throwing the trash away, he gets off the phone with his doctor and he just starts breaking down crying and I asked, 'what's wrong David?' He said, 'I just beat pancreatic cancer.' And I was shocked," Luca said.
So shocked that Luca told his mom and she got to thinking, planning, and called some friends.
"We said let's just get together over there give him a surprise," she said.
Not only did they surprise David with the arrowhead, but they also put together a few bucks so he could treat himself to something nice.
"Obviously, I feel blessed. I feel blessed because I don't have to plan on saying goodbye. I don't have to figure out how to tell my mom, my brother, my dad," he said.
A second chance and a few new friends David never knew he had.