When Charlie Fernandez first arrived at Saddlewood Elementary in the fall of 2019, she had already been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive cancer. Still, the 6-year-old "ruled the school," according to her teacher, Sarah Norton. Charlie, recalls her dad, Jason Fernandez, "loved going to school" — especially to Mrs. Norton's special education classroom, where she could cuddle with Norton's two dogs, George and Henry. Charlie was only in class a few months when she relapsed. With Charlie too sick to join her online class, Norton wore a mask, packed up George and Henry and made a house call. Throughout the summer, Norton kept up her visits, giving up her vacation to spend time with her student, but she insists, "I would never give back what I got from her that summer." In December, Charlie relapsed once again. Despite radiation and chemotherapy, Charlie's condition worsened, and on April 19, she died of her illness at the age of 7. Charlie may have been her student, Norton says, but the lessons she shared were invaluable:
"With the strength she showed, she taught us how to love deeper and how to be better people. She was a gift."
...PEOPLE
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