How One Man Managed To Keep Living For 30 Years After A Grim Diagnosis

Stamatis (we’ll call him “Stam” for short) was a Greek soldier back in the 1940s, and, in the midst of the fighting, was shot in the arm. Needing extensive medical treatment to survive, Stam was sent to the United States.

Stam managed to escape over to Turkey, where he convinced the Queen Elizabeth troopship to allow him onboard. From there, he journeyed across the Atlantic and landed in New York — all with an arm that desperately needed attention.

When Stam got to New York, he found a community of folks from the little Greek island he hailed from, Ikaria. They helped him find medical assistance, as well as a place to work. Once Stam had saved up, he moved to Boynton Beach, Florida, where he fell in love.

Over 30 years later, Stam was officially living the American dream. He had a loving marriage, three beautiful children, and a picturesque home near the beach. However, the stairs in his house were starting to strain Stam’s lungs.

Worried about his shortness of breath, Stam headed to the doctor’s office. They performed X-rays, and nine different doctors concluded that Stam had lung cancer. For a man in his 60s, this could mean very little time to live. They gave Stam nine months.

With such a heavy diagnosis, Stam was torn. Should he stay in America and start chemotherapy? Should he be near his children in case things went south? Ever faithful to his homeland, Stam instead decided to go back to the island he was born.

On Ikaria, there was a cemetery overlooking the Aegean Sea where Stam’s ancestors were buried. Stam decided he’d like to join them under the oak trees for the rest of time. Plus, a funeral in the U.S.? That’d cost thousands, and Stam wanted to leave his family with money.

Surprisingly, Stam’s elderly parents were still alive and well. His mother and wife helped take care of him as he became weaker and weaker. His old friends came by to visit and reconnect, which lifted Stam’s spirits. But then, something strange happened.

Stam was beginning to feel stronger. He was moving and breathing better. He even managed to garden some vegetables! Still, Stam didn’t think he’d live long enough to see his seeds grow. At least his wife could enjoy them, he thought.

Sure enough, Stam managed to live long enough to enjoy his fully-grown vegetables. He continued doing garden work and interacting with his old community. He played dominoes and frequented local taverns. The 9-month mark soon passed — as did the years!

Stam continued working on his garden all on his own. Soon, he built extensions on his parents’ home so his children could visit from the U.S. And 35 years later, Stam was officially cancer free! The surprising part? He never even went through chemotherapy!

Without drugs, treatments, or therapy, Stam was cured. How could this be? According to experts, the best thing Stam did for himself was return home. And no, it wasn’t nostalgia that brought him back to his health.

Researchers found that the people who lived in Ikaria were living remarkably long. So long, in fact, that the island held some of the longest-living communities on the planet! But it wasn’t just their longevity. Ikarians were actually healthier than the rest of the world.

Ikarians were winning when it came to disease survival. They were way ahead of other nations when it came to beating-out cancer, cardiovascular problems, and dementia. Why was this little island such a phenomenon?

Back in the 17th-century, Ikaria was where Grecians went to relax. They’d vacation in the gorgeous mountains and sit in the spa-like hot springs. The island was praised for clean air and fresh water. It was still hard to explain how citizens were benefiting so profoundly.

According to a doctor from Ikaria, their way of life played a huge role. People would stay up late to enjoy one another’s company over bottles of wine from their vineyards. They’d nap often, keep loose business hours, and ignore time. Was that all it really took to live past 100?

Unfortunately, accurate birth records in Ikaria are still hard to come by. With so many citizens claiming to be 80, then 90, then 100, researchers began to distrust the data. After all, having a large population of centenarian is sure to attract tourists. However, there may be more to it.

Ikarians have been providing for themselves for generations. Their separation from the “modern world” was clearly benefiting their health. When Communists were sent to the islands in the late 1940s after the Greek Civil War, communal living became even more accepted.

Between a diet of locally-grown crops and healing teas, a selfless community, and a general sense of timelessness, Ikaria was making a statement: It proved that the best way to live long was to live easy. After his wife’s death, Stam lived on — and made a shocking discovery.

The nine doctors who had given Stam his fatal diagnosis had all passed away themselves! Whether or not the veteran really had lung cancer that disappeared on its own remains a mystery that Ikarians will forever pass down as folklore. The Greeks just live differently!