Homan: Remembering Roxy

Sometimes, life just isn't fair.

Roxanne "Roxy" Leigh Pullum died late last month at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis. She was only 12.

Roxy resided in Carterville and was a sixth-grade student at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School in Herrin. She suffered from various forms of cancer for years and had a brain tumor. The strain finally caught up with her.

I had the opportunity to meet Roxy, her family and friends this past July at the Williamson County Relay For Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Sadly, she was confined to a wheelchair at that point, but couldn't have felt more loved as she was pushed around a would-be indoor track at the Pavilion in Marion.

Roxy was a Girl Scout and had made many friends in her short life.

Her mother, Nancy, said at the time that the family was "humbled and amazed" to see how many people demonstrated their support for her daughter in one form or another.

"Anytime she is with family and friends it's a good day," Nancy said.

Roxy's principal at OLMC, Faye Myatt, said the youngster left quite an impression with the student body.

"She was such a symbol of amazing strength," Myatt said. "I mean, she's had cancer since she was in kindergarten. There were a couple of years there when she went into remission, but that was before it was learned that she had a brain tumor.

"Through it all, she smiled. She never complained about her physical health and that is taking into account that she had to wear a leg brace for a while, too."

Myatt said Roxy would attend classes when she felt strong enough to make it to school.

"Her grandmother would often bring her in and take her to class in her wheelchair. She would even sit in on the classes with Roxy."

Myatt added that Roxy's brother, Ruben, an eighth-grader at the school, was probably her closest friend.

"Along with her Girl Scout friends, of course," she said. "They were a very tight-knit group."

Roxy Pullum had to endure far too much pain and suffering in her 12 years. Nobody, especially a child, should have to endure such.