SOMERS, N.Y. - Strong. Determined. Joyful. Playful. Kind.
Folks who knew and loved 12-year-old Trevor J. Spano apparently can’t come up with enough adjectives to adequately describe him.
The Somers Middle School student passed away on May 26 at Boston Children’s Hospital after a long and courageous battle with Mitochondrial DNA Deletion Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.
The sad news was shared with the school community by Interim Superintendent Harry Lefevre, who noted that Trevor had started in the district as a kindergartner at Primrose Elementary School.
“He quickly became someone whom everyone seemed to know and greet on a regular basis. His smile, sense of humor, and dance moves could light up a room. Both teachers and classmates knew him as a hilarious prankster,” LeFevre wrote.
A lover of football, lacrosse, basketball, and sports in general, Trevor participated in Able Athletics.
His favorite teams were the Somers Tuskers and the Ohio State Buckeyes, according to his family.
Trevor also loved drawing, holidays, his family, his dog, Brutus, and “looking out for his friends to whom he gave the best hugs.”
“People always seemed to gravitate towards Trevor, and he was a great friend to those lucky enough to have known him,” Lefevre added.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, June 4, at Yorktown Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m.
According to his family, Trevor was “a bright, kind, and joy-filled soul whose presence lit up every room he entered.”
They also pointed out in his obituary that his “appreciation for his teachers, therapists, coaches, and friends spoke volumes about his heart and the deep connections he formed with so many.”
The district extended its “deepest condolences” to Trevor’s parents, Todd and Emma; his little brother, Greyson; his grandmother, Susan, a former SCSD staff member; and the entire Spano family.
“The Spano family has deep roots in the Somers community. Todd is a 1994 graduate of Somers High School, and the whole family has been highly involved with Somers athletics and town events,” LeFevre wrote.
When Trevor was in the hospital, family friends Stephanie Burke and Kira Markowitz set up an online fundraiser – Team Trev -- to help the Spanos with medical and travel costs.
They sold hundreds of shirts, stickers, and other items.
As of this week, it had raised about $53,000.
“He was such a sweet boy. It’s so sad,” Burke said Monday.
The fund will be continued to help pay for Trevor’s funeral expenses.
“Our Team Trev fundraiser is going to remain ongoing for a long time, especially in the aftermath of his passing,” Markowitz explains. The community has been amazing in rallying to support the Spanos. We started the Team Trev Initiative at the end of March/early April, after we joined forces a few weeks prior to send the Spanos Care Packages from our Able Athletics and Somers Boys Lax circles. As the hospitalization continued, we realized we wanted to do so much more and Team Trev was formed. From stickers to shirts to our Team Trev Fund, it has been an honor to see how our community has come together for such an incredible boy and his family. From the teams to the schools across the district to all of the friends and families who knew him, we are all Team Trev. It was an absolute privilege to cross paths with Trev, or Big T SMooth, as his loved ones refer to him. He will be forever remembered for his sense of humor, deep empathy for others, and joy for sports, art, and pranks. He's given us all so much to put into perspective and take pause and appreciate life."
To support the Spanos, visit my.cheddarup.com/c/team-trev/items.
Grief Counseling Available
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here