Schoolmates Name Transplant Victim Their Classroom Angel
Schoolmates named Ronnie DeSillers their classroom angel Thursday and radio stations honored the 7-year-old who died while awaiting a fourth liver transplant with a moment of silence.
“Instead of doting on the sadness, what we tried to think about was how he’s out of pain now and how he’s up in heaven,” said Patricia Pittari, one of Ronnie’s teachers at St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic School, hours after he died Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.
A memorial Mass was planned for today at the church near his Fort Lauderdale school.
Maria DeSillers returned to Florida on Thursday with her son’s body aboard a corporate jet owned by industrialist Victor Posner, who had donated $200,000 toward Ronnie’s operations.
The Miami boy’s death generated words of sympathy from President Reagan, who had contributed $1,000 to Ronnie’s medical fund, Gov. Bob Martinez and everyday people who supported Ronnie after he gained national attention when his school’s $4,000 medical fund was stolen in February.
In Tallahassee, Martinez, his wife and Florida State University football Coach Bobby Bowden signed organ donor cards Thursday as part of National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week.
Radio stations WHYI-FM in Hollywood and WPOW-FM in Miami broadcast a moment of silence at noon Thursday.
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