A Bristol Township girl who lost her courageous battle with cancer was remembered this week.
Madelyne Lafferty, a student at Neil Armstrong Middle School in Fairless Hills, was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare type of cancer that impacts bone and soft tissue, in 2018 while in Jacquie Hawes’ fourth grade class at Brookwood Elementary School in Levittown.
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Since her diagnosis, the community gathered together to raise thousands of dollars to support “Mighty Madelyne: Princess Warrior” and her family.
“We raised thousands of dollars hosting a basketball game versus the Bristol Township PD last year and a dance-a-thon the year before,” said Bristol Township School District teacher Erin Krusen.
Madelyne started at Armstrong this school year, but she missed many days due to her health. Madelyne was undergoing treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia while her peers were in school.
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The community had planned to carry out a motorcade to show support and lift the girl’s spirits late last month, but Madelyne’s health took a turn, causing the event to be delayed.
On May 2, Madelyne passed away at the age of 12.
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In the time of social distancing, the girl’s funeral has been delayed and typical mourning routines can’t take place.
Motorcade organizers carried on and adapted their plan into one showing support for the Lafferty family and to remember the young girl.
One-by-one on Monday evening, the dozens of vehicle passed by the Lafferty family’s home on Holly Drive in Levittown.
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The parade brought together roughly 100 vehicles, including Bristol Township police cars, school district buses and vans, and vehicles from the Edgely and Levittown No. 2 fire companies.
The parade of vehicles was filled with school administrators, teachers, friends, family, and neighbors.
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“We were not able to give her that parade while she was still with us, so we decided to do something in memory of her, as well as for her family. Her younger siblings, Jacob and Charlotte, as well as her parents, were experiencing so much grief during a pandemic and it just didn’t seem fair. So we rallied our community together to show them we will always be here for the Lafferty family,” Krusen said.
Pictures of llamas were a common sight during the parade. They represented Madelyne’s love of the animal.
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“It was a truly remarkable sight, and one that will forever remind the Lafferty family that they are never alone,” Krusen said.
Credit: Natalie Dayton
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