Mrs. Stevens and Chelsea, 1993
As I was moving a hose in the south garden Friday evening, I heard someone calling my name. “Mrs. Stevens! Is that you Mrs. Stevens?”
The voice belonged to Alena Short – friend, children’s choir director, teacher, mother of five (two of whom I taught) and one of the most energetic and talented people I know. She and her family moved from the beach fourteen years ago and I’d like to say that I knew that voice immediately. But I didn’t. It wasn’t until I spotted six-foot-five husband/father Jay (who long ago painted our kitchen) that I realized who this group of tall, good-looking folks were.
Poster for Mitchell
Ironically, the only missing members were Chelsea and Zack, ‘my two kids,’ both of whom are married now – and Zack the father of two! The group stayed only a few minutes – long enough for me to meet 13-year-old Charlie who was born after the family left and, to do a little reminiscing.
Mostly, we talked about Chelsea and her classmate Mitchell Bolden. They were 1st, 2nd, 3rd graders in my multigrade class at Ocean Park. During the summer between first and second grades, Chelsea had a recurrence of the leukemia she’d had as a toddler. She underwent treatment at OHSU, during which she lost her hair.
That news flew around our small community and when Mitchell learned that Chelsea would return to school in the fall “as she was able” but that she would have no hair, he asked his folks if he could get his own head shaved in solidarity! On Day One of the 1993/94 school year I had two bald youngsters in my classroom and a whole lot of other boys and girls wearing hats in honor of Chelsea!
Mitchell Bolden
Chelsea recovered and is now married and living on the East Coast. In one of those stranger-than-fiction ironies of life, Mitchell is, “as we speak,” in recovery from a stem cell implant as part of the treatment in his own struggle against leukemia. Alena says the two have been in touch.
I’m sure that there were silent prayers right along with our hugs and smiles as we said our farewells and made promises for a longer visit ‘next time.’ We haven’t yet come full circle with this particular story or with many others, for that matter!
More proof of the impact teachers make in the lives of students and the importance of honoring and supporting each other. Here’s hoping for the best possible outcome for Mitchell.
I was married to Mitchell’s cousin Scott Bolden who had a battle with Lung Cancer but lost his battle 5 years ago on the 23rd of July 2010. The last thing he wanted to do was to attend Mitchell’s wedding. I know he is watching over Mitchell as well as his children. So my message is to never give up fight everyday and always remember we live you. BOLDEN STRONG.
O how I remember all of that. It seems like yesterday we were going over to Chelsea house to visit her or drop off some homework. It was such a big deal then for Mitchell to do that. And he didn’t do it for the attention he did it for Chelsea so she wouldn’t feel like she was the only person that was bald. Now Mitchell is the bald one and I know that if the tables were turned todayshe would be doing the same for Mitchell. Thanks so sharing this Sydney it brings back so much. BOLDEN STRONG!!!