MENTOR, Ohio — Anyone who knew Jack Sawyer knew his motto.
"He was always that one kid that would be happy, have a positive attitude," Danny Martell said.
Jack called it "PACE": "Positive attitude changes everything."
"Jack has truly taught us how to live," Diane Compton declared. "He has been a role model, he has been an inspiration to so many, and his motto PACE is really something that we should all walk away with — positive attitude changes everything."
Jack sadly passed away Sunday, but through his hard fought battle with Ewing sarcoma — an aggressive and rare form of bone cancer — the 17-year-old old remained strong, and even a step further, he fought with his motto in mind.
He was an inspiration to so many.
"He is someone who has taught us as a district and as a people in our community how to live through adversity, how to persevere," Compton said.
Jack shared his journey with 3News, from his treatment in the hospital to the excitement of finishing it. Then, sadly, when the cancer spread all over his body, and when he decided to stop treatment last month.
The community near and far rallied behind him through it all, with "JBS Strong" T-shirts, signs, and tributes. His family shared how kind and compassionate he was, with such physical and mental strength throughout his treatment.
Now, they hope his life will serve as a reminder that the power of positivity can overcome any darkness in this world, as his legacy lives on.
"He will always be in our hearts," Martell said. "He will always be a member of the high school."