Joe Biden comforts a tearful Meghan McCain over her father's cancer diagnosis in emotional clip

Though he continues to serve in government, Senator John McCain was recently diagnosed with a type of brain tumor known as glioblastoma — the same cancer that took the life of former vice president Joe Biden’s son Beau, who died in 2015. So when Joe appeared on The View Wednesday, he took the opportunity to bond with host Meghan McCain over their shared experiences of family members fighting the disease.

Joe recently published a new book, titled Promise Me, Dad, about the experience of losing his son, and Meghan said she struggled to read it, an admission that led to Joe comforting her.

“I couldn’t get through your book. I tried,” Meghan said through her tears. “Your son Beau had the same cancer that my father was diagnosed with six months ago. I think about Beau almost every day.”

“Look, one of the things that gave Beau courage, my word, was John. You may remember, you were a little kid, your dad took care of my Beau. Beau talked about your dad’s courage — not about illness, but his courage,” Joe said. “If any of you have somebody that’s been diagnosed with glioblastoma, which is as bad as it gets, there’s breakthroughs that are happening occurring now. It can happen tomorrow … There is hope. If anybody can make it, it’s your dad. Her dad is one of my best friends.”