Students at St. Mary School paid tribute to one of their own when they took part in Terry Fox Run activities Friday afternoon.
Before heading out to walk in the streets, they met in the gymnasium and paid tribute to one of St. Mary’s students, Dylan Delorme Dressyman, age five, who is battling cancer.
In those ceremonies they compared Dylan to Terry Fox, using words such as “brave,” “happy” and “strong” to describe qualities both of them shared.
The students presented Dylan with personal prayers they had written for him. Donations for the Terry Fox run were also accepted.
Then, with Dylan and his mother Tiffany Delorme leading the way, the students filed out of St. Mary School and walked around the block. The students wore orange, in honour and recognition of residential school survivors.
Vice-principal Amanda Risling said Dylan’s family had been part of the St. Mary School community “forever.”
Risling said her mother wanted Dylan to be able to lead as normal a life as possible, like any other kid.
The Terry Fox Run organizers contacted St. Mary School asking if there was anyone at the school they wanted to rally around, and they thought of Dylan right away.
Risling and others at St. Mary School described Dylan’s “big bright smile” and happy demeanour, even during times when undergoing chemotherapy or on visits to the hospital during the past year.
“He lights everybody’s day up,” said Risling.
It’s proven to be an educational process for everyone at the school, with valuable lessons learned on how to approach life and faith.
“With faith and with support, however it ends up,” said Risling, “we’ve brightened the life of Dylan, and he’s brightened the life of us.”
