NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- Today is a very special day for the 13News Now family.
It's been about eight months since Meteorologist Crystal Harper revealed her diagnosis of stage II Hodgkin's Lymphoma. But before she left to start treatment, she promised she would be back.
Well, today is that day!
So let's take a look at the journey she decided to share with us each step of the way.
If you go to Crystal-Harper.com you'll find an active blog filled with pictures, videos and dozens of comments.
On the surface, it looks like a fun project for the author. But in reality, she probably wishes it never had to exist at all.
Crystal Harper joined the 13News Now Weather Team in October 2016. She hit the ground running, delivering the forecast weekend mornings and becoming a part of the Daybreak team during the week.
Then on May 6, 2017, everything changed. Crystal announced her diagnosis of stage II Hodgkin's Lymphoma; cancer.
The following months would move her back home to New York, lead to 12 rounds of chemotherapy, involve the loss of her hair, and more days feeling worse than better.
It's enough to knock anyone down, but not Crystal. She snatched the pen from cancer and wrote her own story: spreading her courage throughout the community. Adding some fun to finding a wig. Sharing strength with other survivors, like Hayleigh Porrini and Marie Smith, and chronicling her entire journey at crystal-harper.com.
Today, Crystal is cancer-free, but the blog is here to stay. Not so she can keep looking back, but to keep a record of all the living that lies ahead.
So here's to the next post, and so many more. Crystal, welcome back!