Christmas is a wonderful time for festivity the whole family when everyone comes together, but not so for Marcus Cook who is turning 5-years-old on December 15th, 2018.
Also known as “Junior,” he is in a tough fight with brain cancer, but the Rancho Community is helping him celebrate early, along with Christmas.
Marcus is a very happy boy, even though he has been diagnosed with a brain cancer called anaplastic ependymoma sometime last year. Blaire Mathia, a family friend says that about 6 months ago, “they got the news that the scans were not what they wanted and the doctors basically told them there’s nothing else they can do.”
So that’s why the Rancho Community is celebrating the holidays a little earlier this year. They’re putting up Christmas light and decorations at Junior’s home.
“He tugged at my heart strings,” says Lisa Yrigoyen choking up, she says, “I’m just hoping that he’ll have a really good rest of the time that he has here on Earth.”
Yrigoyen along with other Rancho residents came out to help bring Christmas early. Her husband Richard too is helping decorate their house, as he says he has a lot of Christmas decorations sitting in his garage. “Anything I can bring out to help out the family,” he says. “I’m more than willing to do it. I just want to make this as special as possible for Marcus.”
The Rural Metro Fire too are pitching in to help decorate Junior’s home, they brought the fire truck and used one of the ladders to reach high spots.
Battalion Chief John Walka says, “we wanted to do whatever we can as far as setting up Christmas lights, just doing anything to make his life a little bit better and to help him out before his time.”
The Sahuarita Police Department too posted on their Facebook about it saying that they too went to Junior’s House along with Mayor Tom Murphy and “a couple hundred residents” also stopped by to show their love and support.
Ina sweet tribute, Mayor Murphy and SPD Chief Noland made “Junior” the Honorary Mayor and Police Chief.
Some neighbours are even putting on blue lights in their windows to honor Junior as it is his favourite colour.
We appreciate what the Rancho residents are doing to make Junior feel special, by bringing in Christmas early for him.