Capes, superhero gear fill Half Hollow Hills Central School District to honor former student who showed everyone what real strength is
Half Hollow Hills East alum Cody Byrnes passed away 10 years ago after a battle with leukemia and Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
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Half Hollow Hills Central School District Students showed off their favorite superheroes Wednesday all to honor the memory of a former student who showed everyone what real strength is.
Half Hollow Hills East alum Cody Byrnes passed away 10 years ago after a battle with leukemia and Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.
Signal Hill Elementary School fifth-grader Adriana Stile drew him on a cape for her fifth-grade class assignment.
"I drew Cody playing soccer and with angel wings,” she said.
Stile remembers first hearing about Cody from his mom, her former first-grade teacher Mary Byrnes.
"He was an active soccer player. He loved the Islanders. He became an intern for them,” she said. Byrnes.
Thanks to Cody’s mom and her colleagues turned family, his memory lives on in Dix Hills.
Every year, students and staff across the district remember Cody with Superhero Day. Students and staff wear their favorite superhero T-shirt and donate a dollar to a scholarship fund in Cody's name.
"It makes a positive out of something so tragic,” said M. Byrnes.
Fifth-grade teacher Corinne Short says she supported Mary as Cody went through treatment and as he passed away.
For her, Superhero Day is personal.
"We always viewed Cody as a hero for his perseverance and his strength and his no excuses attitude,” she said. "He just knew he had a special place in the world."
Stile says she takes away an important lesson from Superhero Day every year.
"You should always cherish the moments with people because they're very special and you don't know when they could be gone,” she said.
The scholarship fund helps athletes in the district who battled difficult times. Those interested can donate to the scholarship fund here.
