While he was here, Laurence Carolin left an astonishing mark on the world.

He was an ordinary teenager with extraordinary focus, even in the face of a lethal brain tumor. He played his guitar. He ran the soccer fields. He cooked his favorite Asian foods for family members and friends just months before his death. He hung out with rock stars Bono and The Edge.

He was 15 years old when he passed away.

Laurence was barely a teenager when doctors diagnosed him with a glioblastoma multiforme tumor in 2007. "It's about the worst tumor you can have," said his mom, Lisa Carolin, who adopted him shortly after birth. "It wraps itself in and around different parts of the brain."

They battled his cancer for two years, and finally, Laurence's medical team delivered the news that they had exhausted their options. 

Lisa knew what her son's next step would be. "We were very comfortable with the idea of hospice," she said.

The palliative care team at the University of Michigan C. S. Mott Children's Hospital recommended Arbor Hospice. Lisa was familiar with the organization from past experiences and welcomed their involvement.  "I remember getting to know some of the nurses there and I was so impressed," she said.

In October 2009, in the comfort of his home, Laurence became a patient of Arbor Hospice.

It was the little things, as well as the big ones, that got them through the next three months. Arbor Hospice made sure Laurence was comfortable at all times and Colleen Dolan, Laurence's nurse, was always just a phone call away.  She had a variety of medical interventions and such a good sense of what worked. "She had a backup plan, and a backup - backup plan. It was so convenient and immediate. She always had an answer," says Lisa.

Social worker, Arbor Hospice's Jason Cloen, helped Lisa understand what her son was going through.   "When someone is dealing with a life and death battle, that's what fills their day. They don't need constant diversions and activities," coached Jason.  Still, they gently encouraged him to go outside in his wheelchair, go for a car ride or out to dinner, his favorite activity of all.

Lisa dialed Arbor Hospice's 24-hour help line more than once. "I just appreciated always having somebody knowledgeable to talk to," she said.

From early on, Laurence was unyielding in his desire to donate his remains to the neurosurgery department at U of M to be used for research. This posed a particular problem for a patient in the final stages of life, and for his family of caregivers.  No one knew when Laurence would die and to be viable for study, his tumor would need to be delivered within three hours of his death. 

His Arbor Hospice team stepped in to ensure that Lisa had all of the support that she needed to make her son's heroic final wishes a reality.  As the time grew near, she stayed up during the night to be sure not to miss his death.   "Arbor Hospice really talked me through it," she said.

Shortly after noon on January 15, 2010, Laurence Carolin died.  And the minutes started ticking on the clock to fulfill his final request.

Lisa made the call to Arbor Hospice to notify them that her son had died.  The staff knew that the window of opportunity to fulfill their patient's last wish would quickly close.  First, Laurence's death needed to be pronounced, then a host of other standards filled to meet the requirements for study. 

Erin Sykes, who was not on Laurence's primary care team, but was a neighbor of the Carolins, stepped in.  She rushed to the home to pronounce Laurence's death.  With that important piece in place, the remaining requirements were met and Laurence's remains transported within the time limit. 

"It would have never gotten to that point without hospice. It was so personal and it made a difference in the quality of life and death to know his wishes were met," his mom said.

Today, Laurence's tumor is under study.  The findings, once published, might help other patients and families facing a similar struggle. 

So how did Laurence end up meeting the lead singer of one of music history's most influential bands? U2 was Laurence's favorite and when the Make-A-Wish Foundation couldn't organize a meet-and-greet with Bono, they asked him if there was something else that he would like to have.  Laurence told them that there was nothing else he wanted, and asked for the money to be donated to charity instead.

As these things often do, the story got out and began to circulate.  Before long, many people, including Bono, started hearing about the teen who gave up his wish to give to charity instead. And, at a U2 concert in Chicago last September, Bono surprised Laurence and brought him backstage. "It ended up being an incredible wish come true for him," Lisa said.

News reports after his death estimate that he was responsible for encouraging thousands of dollars in donations to the United Nations Foundation.

In October, Bono paid tribute to Laurence during a performance of the song "One," in a concert recorded for a live CD, and when he died, Bono sent a letter to Lisa saying what a difference Laurence had made to him.

At Arbor Hospice, we're pretty sure others feel the same way.

The Arbor Hospice Foundation helped Laurence achieve his wish.  Click here to see how The Foundation helps others.