‘Enjoy every minute that you’re alive’: B.C. man with terminal illness paints large mural to inspire positivity

After receiving a terminal diagnosis, a Coquitlam man decided to fill his remaining days with hope and creativity.

COQUITLAM, B.C. — After spending years refurbishing convertibles, Charlie Bates found himself with a bunch of old paint in his carport.

“I thought I might as well splash it on the wall,” Charlie laughs.

So, the 81-year-old painted a picture of Bugs Bunny on the exterior wall of his home, followed by Santa Claus, and his dog Cookie.

“I just loved doing it. It makes me feel good,” Charlie smiles. “It takes my mind off the things I shouldn’t be thinking about.”

It takes Charlie’s mind off his diagnosis.

“According to doctors, I’m dead,” Charlie laughs.

After being told he had just months to live, Charlie decided to make the most of the time he has left.

“I just want to enjoy my life, day to day, right now,” Charlie smiles.

So, he started waking up before dawn to marvel at the stars in the sky (“It’s amazing”), before painting our solar system on the wall (from all the planets to a couple of the most recognizable constellations).

“Everything started to become a story for me where I could add to it and just let it flow,” Charlie says, pointing to how all the individual pictures been connected to create a cohesive mural.

It’s story about our place in the universe, exploring serious topics like astronomy, biology and history, while never forgetting to have a whole lot of fun along the way.

“I had no idea what the end result was going to be or that people would even be interested,” Charlie says.

But it turns out the kids in the community got a kick out of the cartoon characters (like SpongeBob SquarePants). While the adults, like his neighbour Laura Beaulieu, were amazed by the scope of it.

“I see him out here in the cold,” Laura says. “And I’m thinking, ‘He’s determined. He is inspirational.’”

You see, while Charlie was filling his wall, Laura was also battling cancer.

“He was always positive and happy,” Laura smiles. “And it really gave me hope.”

Because although life can seem as overwhelming and complex as his mural, if you look at it from Charlie’s perspective, if you can be both positive and productive, it’s all quite simple.

“Enjoy every minute that you’re alive,” Charlie smiles. “It’s the best it’s ever been!”