In Memory of 9-Year-Old Claire Elliot of Eagle

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to meet 9-year-old Claire Elliot of Eagle. Claire passed away yesterday morning, but the moments I got with her will stick with me forever.

Claire paid us a visit here at Townsquare Media to help us raise money for kids with cancer by telling her story.

In November of 2018, Claire was diagnosed with DIPG, an inoperable and fatal form of brain cancer.

When we saw Claire in January of this year, the steroids she was placed on had caused her to gain 40 lbs very rapidly. It was hard for her to walk a short distance down the hall and there was a maturity in her that you don't see in most 9-year-olds.

The buoyancy was mostly gone and as she sat playing on her phone I asked her what she liked to do. She couldn't name many activities because as she put it, "there's a lot going on with me right now."

Claire loved making slime and she had a lot of friends at Eagle Elementary School of the Arts who luckily were able to come together in her final days to sing Christmas Carols to her and adorn her room with Christmas decorations.

A community effort to bring Christmas to Claire was originally set for November 2nd, but as her condition worsened the event was moved to this coming Saturday. Unfortunately, Claire passed away at 6:47 yesterday morning.

Please keep Claire's family and everyone who loved her in your thoughts and prayers, especially during this holiday season.