Community Shows Outpouring Of Support For 10-Year-Old Natick Boy Battling Cancer
NATICK (CBS) -- 10-year-old Connor Heffler of Natick is a living example of how to see the good in an unfortunate situation.
"I just try to keep my head up and look toward the positives and not the negatives," he told WBZ-TV.
Last year, Connor was diagnosed with Stage 4 terminal cancer called glioblastoma.
At one point, Connor was a talented hockey player. Then one morning, he woke up and discovered he couldn't move his legs.
"There's nothing right now that's going to stop it from continuing, so we're trying to find something that's going to slow it down," says Beth Heffler, Connor's mother.
Connor's personality brings a smile to everyone who meets him. He was recently honored at his school.
"I won Student of the Month for perseverance, never giving up and just keep trying," he told WBZ.
The family recently returned from a Make-A-Wish trip to the Bahamas. When they came home, the community got together and sprinkled the town in blue-and-orange ribbons on trees and poles in honor of Connor.
"You followed the ribbons and they led to a wall and it had my name on it in orange and blue. It was the coolest thing," he said.
Connor's trainer Eric Beard and his wife Samantha came up with the idea.
"Blue is one of Connor's favorite colors, and orange fits his red hair so we put those together," Eric says.
"We kind of wanted something that would just speak to him and let him know we're all thinking of him," Samantha added.
All for a young man teaching others how to persevere and be positive.
"I'm thinking what can we do to get it gone. I just think if I keep my legs moving that's going to get rid of it," Connor said.
