By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – A pastor said it’s OK to cry for Irving Elementary School fifth grader Dalan Childs, who died earlier this month after a year-long battle with brain cancer.
Dalan’s Irving school family, including classmates and teachers, gathered outside the west side Bloomington school Wednesday to celebrate the boy’s life and participate in a candlelight vigil.
Christina Lammers, Dalan’s principal since kindergarten, assumed the task of helping everyone come to terms with the little boy’s illness and death.
“They didn’t teach me how to do this in principal school,” said Lammers. “So, I’m flying a little bit blind, but I’m not the only one that’s been doing that for the past year,” Lammers added.
Pastor Larry Van Gundy of East White Oak Bible Church in Carlock urged kids to tell others about Dalen so that he’ll remain a light to the world.
“Cancer squeezed Dalan, and we were privileged to get what was inside,” said Van Gundy. “It wasn’t anger, wasn’t a complainer. What we saw was courage, bravery,” Van Gundy added.
Dalan’s principal said the boy wrote books about dinosaurs, sang Michael Jackson songs, loved cheese pizza, wrestling, and Curious George.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
