He had everything, a wife, kids, parents, in-laws he didn't hate. Sure, the world was a bit messed up and he lost out on his dream career due to some bouts with mental illness as a kid, but things were looking up - until the Ao'Ctlians arrived.  Humanity wasn't prepared when the viral outbreak started.  It killed quickly and efficiently. Cancer started to run rampant in otherwise healthy populations with no genetic markers for the disease. Total immune system failures unrelated to immunodeficiency viruses. Complete halts of cellular respiration and mitosis.  Fifty years later, humans had come up with a counter to this attack and they all but killed the virus. 100 years later and humans emerged into the stars with a vengeance. 200 years later and the upstart sentience that called themselves humans were locked in a stalemate with the Ao'Ctlian Empire.