7/21/2014 WilsonTimes.

com - Toisnot Middle, family honor student who died following cancer fight
http://www.wilsontimes.com/News/Feature/FriendlyPrint/32251394----ALL-OF-OUR-LOVE- 1/2

Tuesday,May27,201410:42PM
ToisnotMiddle,familyhonorstudentwhodied
followingcancerfight
ByOliviaNeeleyTimesStaffWriter
TheentirestudentbodyofToisnotMiddleSchooljoinedthefamilyof14yearoldAnthonyBryantJr.todemonstratejusthow
muchtheyoungmanmeanttothem.
Withanoteofloveattachedtoeachone,theschoolreleasedmorethan500balloonsTuesdayinhonorofBryant,whodied
Fridayafteralongbattlewithbonecancer.
"Itsamazing,saidAnthonysmother,FeliciaSmith."Itshowswhatkindofpersonhewas.Thiswasbeautiful.
Anthony,aneighthgrader,wasalsotheschoolspresident.Hewasknownforhiskindspirit,oftentakinginnewstudentsand
showingthemaroundtheschooltomakethemfeelcomfortable.Healsoralliedstudentsandstaffduringpepralliesand
volunteeredforSpecialOlympics.Anthony,whowasdiagnosedwithbonecancerin2012,hadundergoneseveralsurgeries,
includinganamputationtohisleftleg.
Butmostofall,hewasknownforhisbright,widesmile.
"Hewasaleader,saidToisnotPrincipalRonniaCockrell."Hewasaninspiration.Hewascaringandlovingandalways
thoughtofothersfirst.Heleavesusallbetterpeople.
BACKBONEOFOURSCHOOL
SeventhgraderVanessaJalalsaidwhenshefoundoutAnthonydiedFriday,shebecameoverwhelmedwithsadness.
"Becausehewassoyoung,Vanessasaid.
ButAnthonysupliftingspiritiswhattheywillremembermost.
"Hewasafriendlypersontoeveryoneinthisschool,Vanessasaid."Hewasakindperson.Nomatterthedifficultieshewent
throughhewasalwaysstrong.Hedidntletanythingstophim.Hewasthebackboneofourschool.Hekepteverything
together.
VanessasaidbeforeshefoundoutaboutAnthonysdeathFridaythatshedonatedherallowancetohismedicalexpense
fundtheschoolhadsetupforhim.Shesaidsheknewhisfamilyhadtobegoingthroughadifficulttime,notonlybecauseof
hisillnessbutalsothelargeexpenseofcancertreatments.
"IknewhisparentsneededitmorethanIdid,shesaid,addingthatsheplannedtodonateevenmoreofherallowancetothe
medicalexpensefundsoon.
GODHASGAINEDANEWANGEL
Studentsmadenotecardstoattachtotheballoons,whichweredonatedbyChickfilAofWilson,duringhomeroomTuesday.
Vanessa,alongwithherfriend,IyariPiedra,knewwhatmessagetheywantedtosend.
"Youimpactedsomanypeoplebecauseyoushowedalotofpeopleyouwerestrongeventhoughtherewerenegativethings
goingon,Iyarisnoteread."Nowyouareinabetterplaceandyouareanamazingangel.Weloveyou.
"Wemissyou,Vanessasnoteread."IknowthatGodhasgainedanewangel.Ihopeyouknowweloveyou...Youareand
alwayswillbeafriendatheart.
7/21/2014 WilsonTimes.com - Toisnot Middle, family honor student who died following cancer fight
http://www.wilsontimes.com/News/Feature/FriendlyPrint/32251394----ALL-OF-OUR-LOVE- 2/2
AnthonyrecentlyunderwentradiationtreatmentatUNCChapelHillChildrensHospitalandwasunabletoattendschool.The
14yearoldalwaysthoughtaboutschool,hisfamilysaid.
InApril,theschooldecidedtocreateanintricatevideoaimedtomakeAnthonysmilelikehealwaysdidforthem.Thevideo
showedcountlessstudentsholdingsigns,singing,dancingandclappingtoPharrellWilliamspopularhitsong,"Happy.
ThatsongwasplayedintheschoolofficeTuesdayasstudentsfiledoutonebyonetothefieldholdingballoons.
IyarisaidtheballoonreleasewasanefforttoshowjusthowmuchtheycaredforAnthony.
"Wearehisfamily,shesaid."Hemanagedtobestrong...Hekepthissmile.
IyariandVanessaarealsoapartoftheschoolschoruswhodedicatedtheirrecentrecitalprogramtoAnthony.Bothstudents
saidtheprogramwasrecordedsoAnthonycouldwatchit.
MYSONWASLOVED
Studentsformedalargecircleinthemiddleofthefield,leavingasmallpathforAnthonysparentsandeightyearoldsister,
Tanishatowalkthrough.ThefamilyalongwithCockrellstoodinthecenterofthecircle.
"Mysonisloved,hisfather,AnthonySr.said."Verymuchso.Icanseethat.
"Love,Tanishasaid,addingthatshemissedherbrotherverymuch.
Theyallstoodtogethercelebratingthelifeofateenagerwhotaughtthemlifelessons,theysaid.
"HetaughtmethateverythingwouldbeOK,hismotherlatersaid."JustputitinthehandsofGod.Hewasveryspirituallike
that.
ALLOFOURLOVE
Studentsstoodinsilenceastheywaitedtoreleasetheballoonsthatsymbolizedmuchmore.
"Weareheretohonorandcelebratehislifeandmemory,saidCockrell."Hewasabeautiful,beautifulperson.
Cockrellpausedforamomenttoholdbacktears.
"LetallourloveandourheartsandourballoonsjoinAnthony,shecontinued.
Anthonysfamilyreleasedblueandwhiteballoonsfirst,followedbystudentsandstaff.Cheerseruptedaseyesgazedupward
intotheCarolinabluesky.
Butinsteadoftears,togethertheysmiled,justlikeAnthonyoftenhelpedthemtodo.
FuneralarrangementsareincompleteatthistimebutwillbeannouncedbyCarronsFuneralHome.Condolencesmaybe
directedtowww.carronsfuneralhome.com
olivia@wilsontimes.com|2657879
TheWilsonTimes,Wilson,NorthCarolina.
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