It's a hit! Foundation creates a special day for boy battling cancer

Brendan Wallace, 10, smiles after learning about his "grand prize" trip to Friday's Cardinals game. Also pictured is his mother, Samantha Bartlett. Scott Welton, Staff

LILBOURN -- Friday may have started out with gray skies but for Brendan Wallace, 10, it was all sunshine and smiles.

"He comes in every day smiling," said his physical education coach, Joseph McClarty.

But Friday was no ordinary school day. Like all the other students at Lilbourn Elementary, he was excited about the assembly during which the winners of a schoolwide coloring contest would be announced.

And from his front-row seat in the school's gymnasium, he had a good view of the green balloons lined up on the bleachers. Below each of the floating balloons donated by Crop Production Services was, attached to the other end of the ribbon, a cup full of treats.

"He has no idea this is all for him," said Shelly Johnson, school nurse, as students filed in to take their seats. "This is all a big surprise."

After the first, second and third-place winners were announced, Scott Kruse, chairman of the 18 Fore Life Foundation in Dexter, informed those gathered that there was a special, grand prize winner.

Kruse explained that people who are able to face the day with a smile despite having cancer are his heroes and that one of those heroes, Brendan, was the grand prize winner.

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