Bryan Needs Your Help!

This has never happened before and I hope I'm eloquent enough in my description, but as I'm sitting here in tears, I apologize for what might be not my best writing...

We are getting a new student on Monday. His name is Bryan and he's 8 years old. I got to meet him just now and you never saw a little boy so excited to come to school! He shook my hand super hard and said, "Nice to meet you" and couldn't wait to come see where he was going to be sitting. He was wearing a baseball cap, so I treated him like any other new student...gave him a supply box, and a new name tag, and shook hands with mom and dad. Then they left, clutching the homework I was giving out over Thanksgiving Break. (yes, I'm that kind of teacher...)

Then the secretary called and asked me to come back to the office. She told me this... "Ms. Corzine, is there any way we can add Bryan and his family to your Christmas Drive? It seems that Bryan has brain cancer. He is dying. He is only going to be coming 1/2 days because the chemo just takes it out of him, but he is so excited to keep going to school as long as he can and mom didn't want to tell him no. All their money is going to medical costs and from the looks of the information I have from Children's, this will be his last Christmas."

So again, I'm putting out a plea to all of you: let's make this little boy's Christmas spectacular! He has one brother who is 12 and another who is 2. Any gifts you would like to collect, send, or donate for Bryan and his family this year will go directly to him. If you aren't sure what to get, please send a Target card and just write "Bryan" on the envelope and I'll make sure he and his brothers have a Christmas that they'll all remember.

The address to send anything you can still find in your hearts to is:

Alsup Elementary School
c/o Mara Corzine
7101 Birch Street
Commerce City, CO 80022

Words can't describe how touched and amazed and humbled I am by all you've already done. The smile on Bryan's face today when I met him showed me the true spirit of children: pure happiness. Despite his pain and his fear. He'll be coming 1/2 days and I can't wait to help him and be here with him for as many of those days as possible.

Thank you.

--Mara