Friendships Celebrated on the High Seas

Feb. 2, 2006 — -- A group of mothers came together when their sons went off to war, but not all of them came home. Two childhood friends were brought even closer when one was diagnosed with cancer. And one young mother achieved more than she thought possible with the help of her sorority sisters.

These women are among more than 300 who will take part in "Good Morning America's" "Girls' Week Out" cruise starting Sunday. All passengers aboard the Norwegian cruise ship were selected for their stories of friendship.

The seven months that her son Matthew spent serving with the Marines in Iraq provided one of the darkest times in Rita Yost's life.

"Constant worry, tears and stress made life sometimes unbearable," Yost wrote. "I had the support of my family at home, but if it weren't for these precious friendships that I formed with the other mothers I would never had gotten through it all."

Yost bonded with nine other mothers whose sons were also serving in Iraq. While the mothers waited nervously at home, they talked about taking a trip to relax once their sons were safe in the United States. But when three of the young men -- Dustin Derga, Chris Dixon and Justin Hoffman -- died while serving their country, the plans fell apart.

Yost is hoping that they can recapture their joy and celebrate their friendship next week.

"When we are together, we feel a peace that is hard to describe," Yost wrote. "Our sons are our heroes, and these moms are my heroes."

Leslie Johnson and Andrea Stradal have been best friends since childhood, but that friendship was tested one day with a phone call.

"I discovered what life is all about at age 20," Johnson wrote. "It was finals week at college, and my best friend called to tell me that she needed me now more than ever." Stradal, 22 at the time, had been diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkin's disease.

Johnson stood by Stradal as she battled the cancer and shared in the moments of joy that interrupted the pain and anxiety.