M by Leslie Jamison was used to represent a lack of commitment, Jamison's boyfriend was included to demonstrate the value of a continuous supply of energy. Jamison recalls that he "believes in staying strong enough to stay" (20-21). Jamison's boyfriend comes into the story mostly when Jamison herself is in the hospital during one of her surgeries. She would spend much of her time in hospital recovering and he was always looking for ways to help her. An example of this was during a night where “…he was willing to lie down in the mess of wires, to stay…” (Jamison 21) with Jamison all night. In fact, he stayed with her for five nights to help her overcome the struggle. His commitment continued outside the hospital when he spent time in church praying for her. The effort he made to help Jamison strengthened his relationship with her and showed that he truly cares for her. In other words, the effort he invests in their relationship reveals his empathy