There was an eruption of cheers and applause from students, teachers, faculty, and parents at the J.W Martin Elementary School on Sept. 8, as a motorcade of police motorcycles, cars, and fire engines arrived with a very important passenger on board.
The passenger in question was 10-year-old Brayden Tryon, who had his final treatment for leukemia that morning.
Tryon was shocked to find that he would be escorted to his last treatment appointment and school by the cavalcade and was even more surprised to find his classmates, the North Attleborough High School band, football team, cheerleading squad, and the entire school waiting for him to return to school.
“It’s a lot,” Tryon said of the celebration. “I’m feeling great about it. I’m so happy.”
Tryon was escorted into the building with his friends and family and was surrounded by children of all grades in the hallway. They gave him high fives and cheered “let’s go Brayden” which was preceded by clapping. The fourth grader was then brought into his classroom by the high school band, where he hugged all his friends and posed triumphantly for pictures.
Brayden’s mother, Ashley Tryon, also took part in the festivities, as she received congratulations from faculty and her son’s teachers.
“It means a lot to us that Brayden is having this special day,” she said. “The school put this together and I am so happy that they did it for him.”
Tryon was first diagnosed with leukemia in 2020–during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. During his two years of treatment, fundraising events were held by the town of North Attleborough and his school. In 2021, residents worked together to replant and grow Tryon’s sunflowers after an individual forcefully removed them. This random act of kindness caught Tryon and his family by surprise.
JW Martin Elementary’s principal, Dr. Jennifer Evans, said the money from each fundraiser went to the family, and that the school wanted to show their appreciation for Tryon after his battle with cancer. She said the best way to do that was to hold the parade and let Brayden sit in the fire engine as he came to school.
“North Attleborough is very, very supportive of Brayden,” Evans said. “We love this child and his family.”
