REMEMBERING CODY

HOUSTON — The community came together Saturday at Houston Middle School to celebrate the life of Hawk Cody Dennis, 14.

More than a hundred family members, friends, schoolmates and community members gathered to remember Cody, who died Oct. 10, 2011, after a 10-month battle against cancer.

He is remembered as a young man who was kind to everyone, who was quick with a smile, who loved to tease, who wasn’t afraid of hard work and whose courage, good humor and grace inspired a community.

Parents Brian and Misty Dennis invited Houston High School basketball coach David Porter to share his memories of Cody during the first part of the celebration in the gym. Before Porter spoke, he said the boys and girls basketball teams would perform their warm-up exercises in honor of Cody and his family.

At the end of the warm-up routine, the group held up a No. 21 jersey with “Dennis” printed on the back. Throughout the service, the athletes sat behind coach Porter on the bench holding the jersey.

Porter said he’s coached in other communities where tragedies have occurred, but he’s never seen a community rally like this to help a family.

“That tells me just how special this community is,” he said.

On the athletic field and in the classroom, Houston students are known for their tenacity, coach Porter said. He said other coaches in the league comment to him on the Hawks’ never-give-up style of competition. “You’re down 20 and you fight like you’re down by 1.”

“He will be a member of our team and our family for eternity,” coach Porter said.

The Hawks organized car washes and sold pizza cards, they made T-shirts and sent care packages to raise money and remember Cody.

“At Houston, we are family. So when Cody became ill, it was natural for the entire team to do what we could to lift Cody up,” Porter said.

When the Hawks beat Nikiski last year, he said Cody was the first thing on the team’s mind. They wanted to sign a game ball and send it to Cody in Washington, coach Porter said. So he told the Nikiski coach what was going on and he gave the team a ball to sign. The ball was on display in a plastic showcase during the celebration Saturday.

While it is painful to see such a young life lost, coach Porter said he finds solace in seeing how many people Cody inspired in his 14 years.

“People say teens are self-absorbed and lazy. I don’t believe that,” Porter said. “Their enthusiasm to help others, their willingness to do things for other people is amazing.”

Cody, Brian and Misty spent most of the past 10 months in Washington undergoing medical treatment. But the three made a trip to Alaska to visit this summer.

“When I saw him this summer he gave me a great big hug,” coach Porter said. “And he was still talking about, ‘I can’t wait to play for you coach.’ He was a fighter, fighter, fighter and I loved him.”

Coach Porter invited people to adjourn to the commons area for a slideshow and to share their memories of Cody.

Care Tuk — an 11-time cancer patient — led the audience in sharing their memories of Cody. She said she met him while speaking at Houston Middle School.

She has a number of artificial joints and recalled Cody’s interest in an old knee she brought in to show students.

“Cody was fascinated,” she said. “He’d take apart that knee, never figuring he’d have the same kind of knee I had eventually.”

Cody’s old babysitter’s voice quavered at the mic when she described how caring for Cody was a snuggly change of pace from her own son, who she described as “a little wild man.”

“He was such a sweetheart,” she said.

A classmate recalled seeing him when he came back to Alaska to visit. “It was the first time I’d hugged him in months. I can’t remember being happier,” she said.

In the commons, tables were set up where people could sign a guestbook, pick up photos of Cody, a “Cody Rocks” sticker, a keepsake bracelet, write a memory of Cody on a card for his family or write a note to Cody on a balloon to be released after the celebration.

Mat-Su Borough School District School Board member Lynn Gattis was among those in the crowd who shared memories of Cody. She said the two met when he and some other boys worked on her farm picking up sticks.

“Bringing the community together — I’m sure that’s what Cody’s mission was,” Gattis said.

A classmate told a story about Cody and his friends who worked for seven hours to rescue a dog from under a porch where it was stuck.

A teacher told how some students he recognizes when he sees them years later and others brand his memory in a different way.

“Cody Dennis is one that you will never forget,” he said.

His grandparents described him as a sweet, sweet boy who was the best thing ever.

His aunt Denise thanked the community for coming together to help her family.

“Thank you. You sold pizzas, you washed cars — thank you for that,” she said.

She shared a story about Cody’s first little red snowmachine his parents bought him.

“We barely got the helmet buckled before he took off down the street,” she said. “He was truly a gift bestowed on our family.”

Dad Brian seconded her thanks.

“Thank you all for coming and supporting our family going through this,” he said.

Houston Middle School Principal Andrew Murr’s voice faltered as he remembered with pride the work that went into Cody’s eighth-grade promotion ceremony last year via Skype.

“It was awesome to be able to give Cody a promotion last year,” Murr said. “It made my day to do such a special thing for such a special young man.”

Mom Misty thanked everyone for coming and reminded people about the website and nonprofit the family is setting up, CodysWish.com, to help other kids with cancer.

“Thank you all for coming and being part of our day,” she said.

The community will come together again in a couple of months to honor Cody.

Coach Porter said it’s a coincidence that the team plans to retire Cody’s No. 21, on Jan. 19, 2012 — what would have been his 15th birthday.

Misty said it transforms her son’s birthday from a day she’ll dread into one she’ll look forward to with anticipation.

“I can’t wait for his birthday now.”

Contact Heather A. Resz at heather.resz@frontiersman.com or at 352-2268.