A Whitewater man battling a brain tumor is given just weeks to live. His time may be short but his love for his family and for music will endure long after he's gone.

“It runs in his blood, I swear to God it does,”

There are only two things Pat Peterson loves more than making music: his daughter Jazmine...

“I think he's awesome, the best dad in the world!” said Jazmine

And Ruth, his wife of 15 years.

“I think we probably tell each other we love each other probably 5,000 times a day and it's still not enough,” laughs Ruth.

Pat's interest in music started like it does for a lot of young boys.

“I wanted to get some girls,” he jokes.

Soon after, this hobby into a full blown passion.

“It's literally a part of who I am, it's part of my soul,”

But back in 2009, Pat was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

“It was devastating, it really was, it was one of the scariest moments of my life,” says Ruth.

Realizing he may not live much longer, Pat wrote a song for Ruth and Jazmine called “Long Road”

“It was done after he was diagnosed and I think it was Pat's way of saying he was sorry for all the mistakes he may of made in the past and that he'll be here for me, no matter what,”

And for past three years, Pat stayed strong.

“It's been a roller coaster, it's been one treatment to the next to the next,”

“For Pat to fight as long as he has, it's been a miracle,” said his friend Christ Christen.

But just last month, on December 15th, doctors told him this latest tumor had grown and there was nothing they could do.

“We did a lot of crying and a lot of praying and just really tried to understand and accept what was happening,” said Ruth.

As Pat's time winds down, the Petersons are cherishing every moment.

“We've had a chance to say everything we really need to say to each other,” said Ruth.”Now it's just doing things that we really enjoy,”

His talent is evident, his passion undeniable.
“But I think what Pat takes to the next level is he never stops,” said his friend Brian Lucas.

“I just think there is a very limited handful of people that will ever experience music the way pat loves it,” added Cristen.

Pat and Ruth are soul mates.

“She's been with me the whole time,” said Pat.

And they won't let one second together go to waste.

“Every day, one step at a time,”

Pat's dying wish is to have as many people as possible enjoy his music. Check out his music video for “Long Road” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly9f_Jl0Urs