Steve “Scuba” Johnson is fighting Colon Cancer. And when someone is enduring something as serious as chemotherapy, yet alone dealing with the emotional effects that go along with such a diagnosis, shoes would generally be the last thing on your mind.
However for Johnson, he claims that Kanye West‘s Yeezy Boost sneakers “saved his feet” which were in immense pain due to blistering caused by the Chemotherapy treatment. “I was unable to walk because my feet were all blistered up from chemo, so I wore my adidas Yeezy 350 Boost, which I credit to saving my feet,” he told Kiel Colon Cancer Brand Ambassador Riley Battle.
After dealing with excruciating pain while trying to walk on sandals which had been his go-to shoes, plus causing severe ankle damage while trying to walk one day, Johnson credits his best friend for setting him straight. “Man, you really need to wear shoes – real shoes,” Billy told him, only to then find out Johnson had two pairs of Yeezy Boost 350s which he was putting away to keep deadstocked.
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Billy convinced him that his comfort came first, so he put on the Turtle Dove 350s and hasn’t looked back. “I felt like a new man. The Boost soles felt like clouds on my feet. I was instantly able to move better and walk into treatments unlike before,” he said.
A Kanye West fan since 2004, when asked for his favorite quote, Johnson turned to his idol — “I didn’t play the hand I was dealt, I changed my cards.”– Kanye West
And how did he pass the time during his Chemo sessions? Turns out creative director Virgial Abloh — West’s close friend — played a large role here. “I would just be on my iPhone looking at pictures and celebrities that inspire me. Especially Off-White apparel designer Virgil Abloh, a fashion idol of mine, who I would love to meet one day,” said Johnson.
To find out more about Johnson’s story, read his interview with the Kiel Colon Cancer Foundation.
