‘I love that we existed together’

In the final stages of stage 4 cancer, James Butts, former CEO of Postmates, shared a heartfelt message that resonates with thousands of people: “Be principled, be an idealist. The most important thing is that you are a decent human being.”

In a post shared to his X account on November 13, Butts confirmed he was going to hospice. Butts spent nearly six years as senior vice president of product and design at Postmates and co-founded OrderAhead, according to his LinkedIn page.

“I’m going to the hospice today. Will probably update (very) little or nothing at all,” Butts announced on X about his transition to end-of-life care.

“But I wanted to say: be kind, be brave, be principled and be an idealist,” he continued. “Most importantly, be a decent human being.”

Butts’ words were viewed nearly 7.6 million times on the platform and liked more than 98,000 times within the day of posting.

“I don’t know you, but I am touched by your message,” said one user wrote in response to his X post. “Sending strength to you and your loved ones.”

“You’re one of the first people I look for when I get there,” another added. “My prayers are for a comforting and meaningful time in this process. A lot of good things can happen during that period.”

Butts shared his cancer diagnosis in an Instagram post in October 2023showing that he learned of his condition the month before. He shared that in recent updates on the platform he underwent twelve rounds of chemotherapy and one surgery. He also expressed his appreciation for the support of his friends and family.

Butts shared one separate message in his Instagram stories also on November 13, explaining that his health deteriorated a week ago when his liver and other blood tests showed poor results. He noted that there were no more treatment options available.

He explained that he was driving with his family to Malibu, California, where he planned to enter hospice care.

“I’m going to go into hospice, or go to hospice, to spend the rest of my days in comfort and be surrounded by people I love,” he continued. “And I don’t think this is a losing battle in any way. At least it’s a draw because if I die, the cancer dies with me, so all we can do is move forward.

“I just want everyone to know – everyone who has said kind things or been kind throughout this whole journey – that I love you, and I appreciate that. For those who can’t find the words: I still love you and I still appreciate you.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com