On Thursday evening Nazareth student Courtney Diacont passed away at her home according to an article in the Express-Times by JD Malone (read it here). Express-Times editor Joseph Owens writes about her today (read it here) based on his personal relationship with her.
In early September Courtney returned to compete on the Nazareth Varsity Volleyball team after having been diagnosed with colon cancer the previous December (read the post here). It was a remarkable return, a testament to desire and will.
The stories about her and words of remembrance by those who knew her speak of a girl in the eyes of her parents, too young for most of us to imagine having to decide treatment issues and genuinely contemplate life. Yet she did so with strength and grace that gave her a maturity far beyond her years. She will live on as a reminder to others who face difficult struggles to persevere in the hope of a better tomorrow.
Please keep Courtney, her family, friends, and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this time.
2 comments:
She was a very nice girl from a wonderful family...my heart goes out to them.
Between Courtney, Derek Kehoe, and a boy from the middle school who also had cancer (I am sorry I cannot remember his name), than makes three publically known teenage cancer events in NASD. SHould be we concerned? Is this one of those "cancer clusters" we hear about on the news, or is this rate of occurance norma? Perhaps the publicity and proximity makes it seem unusually frequent. I have to children myself, so I do worry a bit...
Our thoughts and prayers are with Courtney's family and community of friends at this difficult time. May we all find the strength and hope to carry us as we remember a young, talented, hopeful beautiful young woman.
Post a Comment