I thank Pete for sharing the story. It has many sides and means different things to different people, depending on their own value system.
In a way, to me, it has sort of the flavor of the theme behind Dickens Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol". The theme of atonement, repair of the soul, has many versions in literature. This poor fellow hears the sound of 'angels wings' and is trying to put things right. If we all have the misfortune of being handed this sort of highly defined time line= death sentence like this cancer, as compared to being hit by lightening, most will have some sort of opportunity to put transgressions right. I've seen some men die peaceful and happily resigned to accept a next step, or no step. And, I've seen some panicked and tortured souls pass to a fearful place.
But, I think it is good that we share stories like this, for all of our sakes...