{
  "id": 5750133,
  "title": "She Wrote to Biden About Losing Son to Cancer. His Reply Left Her Stunned",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/she-wrote-to-biden-about-losing-son-to-cancer-his-reply-left-her",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-05T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Newsweek",
    "slug": "newsweek",
    "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/mom-wrote-to-biden-about-losing-son-to-cancer-his-reply-left-her-stunned-12399859"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Melina Newcomb, from Moneta, Virginia, experienced an unimaginable loss when her son Levi passed away in 2019 due to a brain tumor. A recent article shared on Threads revealed that Newcomb decided to reach out to former President Joe Biden about his own personal loss, prompting a surprisingly heartfelt response from the ex-president.\n\nAccording to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 626,140 Americans are expected to lose their lives to cancer in 2026. While survival rates for cancer patients have improved significantly, the grief of losing a loved one to the disease remains a burden for many families. Newcomb's son, Levi, was diagnosed with stage IV high-risk medulloblastoma at the age of four and faced a challenging journey of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy for 14 years. Sadly, his battle was far from over, as he tragically lost his life four days after Christmas in 2019.\n\nNewcomb's grief was overwhelming, leading her to confide in friends, family, and medical professionals. However, she recently decided to share her experience of loss with another individual: former President Joe Biden. Biden, who has faced his own personal tragedies including the loss of his first wife, infant daughter, and son to cancer, received a shocking message from Newcomb on August 20, 2025. The message expressed Newcomb's prayers for Biden's well-being, their shared experience of losing a child to cancer, and Biden's heartfelt condolences.\n\nBiden's response left Newcomb stunned and comforted. In his message, Biden emphasized the importance of finding light, hope, and love in the face of life's uncertainties. He wished for Newcomb to find solace in knowing that the love she shared with her son will always remain with her. Newcomb, overwhelmed by the unexpected gesture, expressed her gratitude, feeling that it reminded her of the goodness present in the world despite its challenges. Newsweek has reached out to the Biden family for additional comment.",
  "summary": "Melina Newcomb shared her grief with the former president after his diagnosis. The response in her inbox took her by surprise.",
  "key_points": [
    "Melina Newcomb lost son Levi to brain tumor in 2019",
    "Former President Biden received Newcomb's message on August 20, 2025",
    "Biden's response comforted Newcomb with condolences and hope"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}