I really enjoyed Ernie's outlook on his situation....he seems like a great character.

"We don't know how long this lasts," Harwell said, according to the Detroit Free Press, which first reported Harwell's illness. "It could be a year, it could be much less than a year, much less than half a year. Who knows? Whatever's in store, I'm ready for a new adventure. That's the way I look at it."

"I don't have any pain at the moment," he said, according to the report. "Because I've lost weight, I can eat almost everything I wanted to. I've come back to my childhood with ice cream and all those good things."

Speaking about his fans, he told the Free Press: "I'd like to thank them for their loyalty and support over the years. And their affection, which I don't know whether I deserve or not, but I accept it."