February 17, 2013 at 3:17 PM
'Our story is not one of death, but of life:' Family Hour during THON
For possibly the first time this THON weekend, the Bryce Jordan Center fell silent during Family Hour, an hour where THON families share their stories.
One family, the Mortons, talked about the loss of their son, Teddy, who lost his battle with cancer when he was only 127 days old.
"We may have lost our child to cancer, but our story is not one of death, but of life. A life of 127 days," his mother, Gina, said to the crowd.
Another family, the Whitehead family, stood on stage with their daughter, Emily, 7, and talked about their experiences with the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.
"We aren't sure of what will happen with Emily tomorrow, but we've all heard you say that someday we will dance with celebration, and for our family, that day is today," her father, Tom, said.
Following the talks, each THON family was presented on stage. Afterward, a video of those who lost their battle with cancer left THON attendees in tears.