As an educator for over 20 years, I have had well over 2,000 students come into my life, and with those students are also their parents and families. I have heard more stories about siblings, parents, pets, family vacations, and details of day-to-day lives than I can begin to count, and this is the beauty of working with kids. And though every single one of my kids have been special in their own unique way, sometimes a certain student comes along that just tucks themselves a little deeper into my heart, tugs a little more at my heartstrings, becomes an extended part of my family.
And that is exactly what happened when this sweet, timid little 6th grade boy named Zach Bassinger entered my classroom way back in 2016. He was so shy and nervous those first few days, but he soon got very comfortable, and that orneriness that makes Zach the Zach that he is came out. And I just couldn't help it; I adored him from the start. Zach was assigned to my homeroom, which meant I had him in class all 3 years he attended Middle School. When he got into any kind of trouble, he knew when I showed up in the doorway of whatever classroom he was in, he was going to hear about it. He often came to my classroom to work, and we had one of those bonds that carried on through the years and extended to his family as well.
I did not have his sister, Allie, in class, but I often saw her around the building. She was a mother hen to Zach, being only a grade behind him. She kept an eye on him, and she took it upon herself to keep him in line. There was more than one occasion that she and I shared a knowing look!
A few years later, along came his brother Carter. Carter knew what he was in for before he ever entered my classroom; he knew I had connections, and that he had better watch his P's and Q's because I was well-acquainted with his parents already, and I made sure to tease him about that fact often!
Zach's parents were the kind of parents every teacher loves to meet. They were attentive and supportive. They came to every Open House and every Parent-Teacher Conference. They responded promptly to emails and phone calls, and they worked as a team with teachers in order to help their kids have the absolute best education they could. They were the kind of parents you were excited to see walk into your classroom.
This is why, when I learned that Zach's dad, Terry, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, my heart was instantly broken for them. No one deserves that diagnosis, but this family, Zach's family, who were such good, loving, hard-working people, absolutely did not deserve to face this battle. And a battle it has been, spanning over the last year and a half, with additional complications all along the way, taking the family's life on the kind of roller coaster no one wants to be on.
And then it got even worse. Just this month, Zach's sister Allie was also diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The devastation this kind of news brings is something beyond words. Allie is a senior in high school. This should be the most exciting, fun time in her life. Instead, she is going to be battling cancer, taking on the fight of her life.
There is a GoFundMe set up for the family, and people have been so generous. However, with both Terry and Allie now fighting this battle, the bills will continue to pile up, and the last thing the Bassingers need to worry about during a time when they need to focus on other things is the financial burden this puts on them.
In honor of the Bassinger Family, I have decided to make a Pledge to donate $1.00 for every "hit" on this blog post between today and my birthday, September 16th, up to $500. Please share the Bassingers' story, donate if you can, and encourage others to do the same. I promise you, this family deserves anything we can do for them. No amount is too small; they will appreciate any gesture you are able to make. If you are a praying person, please offer those up for them as well, because they need all the support possible.
Here is the link the GoFundMe set up for the family:
Thank you all!
1 comment:
I absolutely love Zach & Allie!! They were the nicest kids at the Middle school when I was in the library. I'm so sorry to hear about this family's trials! I will add them to my prayer list.
Mary Finkner
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