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Written by By Connor deMayo
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EVERLASTING FRIENDSHIP
By Connor deMayo
Last summer (summer of 2007) on a hot sunny day at the New Canaan Lake Club I was preparing for the “Wacky Tennis” event. I had been looking forward to this for days. “Wacky tennis” is the only time you can play tennis games in wacky clothes. One of my favorite games to play is tennis baseball. As you might have guessed, that is baseball with a tennis racquet and ball. When I got to the tennis court everyone was lined up against one side and the tennis pro’s were picking players for their teams. The pro’s were doing their best to stack their team with the best players! “Tom”. “Fred”. “Mikey”. Once the teams were in place and after everyone introduced themselves, we started to play. Our first three batters, Fred, Spencer and Alex all got singles. The bases were loaded with Mikey at the plate. As he swung the racket through the air, my heart skipped a beat. I felt like I had been hit by an invisible mallet. The next thing we heard was a thundering WHAM! Mikey had hit a GRAND SLAM! Next it was my turn to bat. Although I hit the ball hard, it was caught for the first out – that’s tennis baseball. I felt like it was the end of the world until Mikey told me, “Nice try! Maybe next time” as I passed him on the bench. I knew at once that we were going to be friends.
A few days later I got a call asking if I could go over to Mikey’s house. I said yes. At Mikey’s house, I was introduced to another boy named Kane. We played football and baseball. I learned Mikey’s last name was Czech and that he had a sister named Sydney. I also learned that he was going into 5th grade. Before I knew it, it was time to go, time sure flies when you are having fun. It seemed like I had only just gotten there ten minutes earlier.
When I got home, I asked my Mom if Mikey and I could get together soon. My Mom said, “Okay”. Mikey and I were becoming good friends. A good friend is someone you can trust, you know, to watch your back. A good friend is a very good thing to have.
A few months later, I got some very bad news. Mikey had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. The tumor was in a position of Mikey’s head that made it very hard to cure. My Mom told me that Mikey was going to the smartest doctors in the world. I was sad that I might not get to see my friend for some time.
Then one day I got off the bus and my Mom told me that Mikey and I were going to walk into town. I nearly fainted! My Mom dropped us off at Dunkin’ Donuts and the last thing she said, “Look both ways when you cross the street”, “oh, a do not talk to strangers: and “just be safe”. The second she was out of sight, we sprinted down the brick sidewalk and across Elm Street. It seemed everyone knew Mikey and Mikey knew everyone. “Hi, Hi Mikey”, “Hey Mikey”, one after another Mikey was greeted by so many people it seemed like he knew the whole town of New Canaan. After I was literally introduced to what seemed like half the town, we went to Gelato. Gelato has pretty much the best ice cream in town and maybe the entire world. I got a large raspberry which was sweet and creamy. Mikey decided that he was thirsty so instead of him having the creamy, savory, sugary delight of Gelato, we were off to J.P.’s Country Cupboard for some lemonade and Coke. He must have been extremely thirsty because he downed both in under a minute! Before we left, Mikey put the rest of our money on the counter and said to the waitress, “Keep the change”. That was just like Mikey to be nice to everyone which is why he had so many friends.
It was time to head back to Dunkin’ Donuts where my Mom was parked and waiting. When we got back to my house my Dad was home. Mikey and I asked him to play baseball and my Dad said, “Sure thing”. The game was close and my Dad hit my curveball (for the first time) for a home run, SMASH!, to take the lead, 21 to 20. Mikey and I were up and Mikey hit a triple and I was up. If I hit a 120 foot home run we would win. If I did not, well, you know the score. My Dad threw a curve ball which I hit really hard. The ball was flying through the air back, back, back and then CRACK! The ball hit a tree and two balls fell to the ground. It was a home run and Mikey and I won 22 to 21, how sweet it was! My Dad called us over to the spot where the ball had landed, he said, “Connor and Mikey come quickly”. My dad had a pile of string in one hand and a torn leather cover in the other. I had knocked the cover off the ball.
Mikey and I had a lot of fun that next summer (2008), although I did not know it would be Mikey’s last summer. It seemed like Mikey no longer had the brain tumor.
Late summer we began to hear that Mikey’s tumor was gone but a sist was growing in its place. The sist is what caused Mikey Czech to pass away. I will never forget the tennis baseball game, that walk into town with him and I will never forget that baseball game we played. |
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Mikey Czech
October 15, 2007
Assignment: Memoir
Wings to Heaven
As I sat at the table at my Grandpa and Grandma’s house, I wondered why my Great-Grandpa was looking so sad and speaking little. “I hope he is okay”, I said to my sister in a quiet voice.
I said to my Great-Grandpa “Are you okay, Grandpa?”
He said “When…”
“When what”, I said.
“When your Great Grandma Candy died”, he said.
I thought to myself that I could feel the pain in my heart while it was beating.
As I was cleaning my plate, I murmured to my sister, “Is he going to be okay?”
“He will be okay”, my sister said.
Later that night I was thinking about him, wondering if he would really be okay. Will he be fine without Grandma Candy? Will he remember her?
The next morning I woke up and I went downstairs for breakfast. When I got downstairs, I asked “Where is Great Grandpa?”
My mom said “Well…”
“Well what”, I said.
“He died”, my mom said. When I heard that sentence, my soul got sucked out of me like a vacuum.
My mom said, “How….well we had to take him to the hospital and he was just really sick.”
I started to cry. I cried so much that there were no tears left in me. Then I hugged my mom. She told me, “Everything is going to be okay.”
So from this day on, I will always remember him in my heart, my Grandpa flying into heaven to be with my Great Grandma Candy.
I have learned that I will never forget someone close to me and will always keep that person in my heart. |
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Written by Mikey Czech
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The Brain Tumor
By Mikey Czech
January 6, 2008. It was a windy winter Sunday and I, Mikey Czech, was celebrating my 11th birthday. At breakfast my mom told me I had to go to the doctor that morning. “What a drag,” I thought, “Who wants to do that on their birthday?” Once the appointment was over, the doctor told me that I had a brain tumor. I was frozen with fear like an icicle. I prayed to God for help.
My mom sped to the Emergency Room of Norwalk Hospital to see what a brain tumor was. The doctors did many thorough tests to determine what was wrong with me. I was worried and frustrated to be at the hospital on my birthday. When the tests were over, my dad came into the building from church. When he entered the room, I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him to death. Later that morning I called my sister to break the news to her. After I finished my story, she began weeping. The two words “brain tumor” had knocked her heart over. For her, I knew I had to be strong.
After the doctors were done examining me, I had to be transferred to Yale University Children’s Hospital in an ambulance. Inside this ambulance it was a nightmare; they had oxygen tanks, blinking lights, and lots of medical equipment. The sound of the siren penetrated my brain making me feel like my soul was being sucked out with a vacuum. My mom was at my side trying to calm me. She rubbed my arm and it reminded me of the gentle ocean waves. Finally I settled.
Once we got to the hospital I wondered to myself, “How long will I be here?” When I got to my room, I felt different. Who goes to the hospital on their birthday? This was supposed to be a day of celebration, for me it was a day of desperation. I did not know what was going to happen.
Three days later I got out of the hospital. We had to find a hospital that was kid friendly and good for brain tumors. Suddenly one day a friend of my dad’s named Scott Amero & Larry Fink called. They said, “I found a good hospital for your son. It works with brain tumors.” I was so happy! I found a place where I can be cured.
The next day I went to a hospital called NYU “New York University”. Once I went into the building, I met the doctor. His name was Dr. Allen. Kind and gentle as was a feather, he smiled up and announced, “don’t worry our doctors will treat you with care.” I felt calm as he was talking to my parents with gentle words. After the conversation with my parents I knew I was going to be treated here.
The first day at the hospital I found out I was going to stay for about a month. Sitting there scared, I felt I was going to wet my pants. Waking up hours later I had realize I had surgery for 5 hours for my mediport. “What happened?” I wondered to myself. What is this? Questions started to flash across my brain.
As days past many letters came to me. Reading them made me proud, especially the word “strong.” I had inspired people all over the world. London, England, even people from all over the USA. But every night I asked God “why me” my mom says I am special so I stick with that quote.
In the hospital, the results were turning out great. Days were passing fast; The steroid dose was going down so I felt better. Finally, it was March 6, 2008 when I finally got out of the hospital. I had an ice cream cake for the celebration. I was thinking to myself “God, when I get out of this hospital I will be who I was before.”
Months passed and I, Mikey Czech inspired so many people how to live. Many people say “Hey that’s the cancer kid” or “That’s the next Lance Armstrong.” I exercised and started to do sports like tennis. I almost died of this but at least I have some believers out there too because if I didn’t have believers I wouldn’t be an inspiration to human life.
I still have my ups and downs and it is still a struggle to be on steroids again, but going through what I have just been through, I will always be a fighter. I have memories. I will always struggle through. But from this day forward, I will always be on God’s side riding the black stallion of my strengths and weaknesses. |
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Written by System Administrator
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Monday, 06 July 2009 12:46 |
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My Little Angel
Best Brother
Of them all No matter how big or small
Able to survive
A deadly disease
And nothing could stop him
As much as he pleased
We got in fights
Like normal siblings do
But now I see
Everything come through
People may say
We look exactly alike
But I didn’t know
Until that night
Died of a brain tumor
Failed to survive
But he always tried
And tried
And tried
I will love him forever
No matter what it takes
Even though it's sad at times
My little angel
Helps me through it all
My little angel
Always and forever
Mikey
Love, Sydney
2008
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 August 2009 23:18 |
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