By Alex Stogdill/Gator Galaxy Staff
On Sept. 9, 2013, Dawson Cox lost his battle his battle with a rare form of leukemia. He was a freshman at Lincoln Southwest High School and had battled the cancer for about a year. During his illness, there was an outpouring of support for Dawson throughout the Lincoln community, Dawson’s story touched the hearts of many, both before and after his death.
Dawson was a young man who was born with a bone marrow disease that made it hard for him to produce red blood cells. While he was sick, he had to go through many bone marrow transplants, as well as a great deal of chemotherapy and was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. It was from then on that he had to battle the terminal illness, but people who were close to him very often referred to him as a strong and positive fighter throughout his whole ordeal.
Dawson had to spend a lot of time in the hospital, which wasn’t just in Lincoln, but also the Mayo Clinic in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dawson spent several months in their care and became very close with the doctors. What might be one of the hardest things to grasp is how a young man who is only 15-years-old can die at such a young age from a very rare disease like the form of leukemia he had. He enjoyed things that many other high schoolers enjoy; he liked to play Call of Duty and he was a Husker fan. He also became a Michigan Wolverine fan as a result of his time in Ann Arbor.
Some of North Star’s very own were very close to Dawson and were there to support him throughout the whole process. Seniors Zach and Hannah Turner are twins who were in foster care with Dawson’s family for about a year when they were 8 years old. Although they don’t live with his family anymore, they still kept in close touch with Dawson and his family. “It was really tough to see someone that I considered to be a brother lose a long battle, and be sick all his life,” Zach said. “The last few times I visited him, he looked weak, but still kept a smile on his face, and the fact that he was so strong and positive made it a little easier for me to do the same.”
Even though Dawson lost his battle with leukemia, there was still a great amount of support in his memory. The North Star vs Pius X football game was a prime example. The students from both schools wore orange in memory of Dawson and his fight with leukemia during the first half of the game. Hannah came up with this idea for the game. SuperFan sponsor, Renee Hosek made a massive sign for the front of the student section that read, “2 Schools, One Cause.” “It felt really good knowing that two completely different schools could come together as one team,” senior Maddie LoBrillo said. “It was also a good reminder that there are much larger things in life than just a high school football game.” During the second half, students changed from orange to white in support of two Pius students who’s mother is battling lung cancer.
A lot of times people get caught up in things that don’t really matter, and forget much more important things, like being able to live your life. Zach thought the support shown by students at the game was great. “Seeing two schools come together for a cause like that is something spectacular to see.”
Dawson Cox was a courageous young man who was faced with one of the ultimate forms of adversity that someone can be dealt with, and he fought his hardest to win the battle. That is a testament to his strength and overwhelming positive attitude. Not many, if any 15-year-old kids, or anyone of any age for that matter, can say they had to battle cancer and gave it all they had. Dawson will be dearly missed, but should always be in our hearts as the 15-year-old kid with a bright smile.
