Meet the Kids
Read the stories of these brave children who are battling or have battled DIPG.
CONNOR MICHAEL OLYMPIA. Unique, Exceptional, Old Soul. His light burned brighter than most. The most amazing little boy a mother and father could hope for. A personality and smile that would capture the attention of the whole room, Connor was truly one in a million. Intelligent, athletic, a big heart, and a sense of humor well beyond his years. Whether it was playing baseball, racing his cars, building Legos, riding his dune bugee, or cooking his favorite Mac N’ Cheese, his zest for life was remarkable.
People say Connor is lucky to have us as parents. While that is certainly nice to hear, we feel we are the lucky ones. There is no doubt that Connor made us better people, better parents, better husband and wife. From the day he was born he taught us to be present in all aspects of life. Connor’s excitement and energy for everything he did was contagious. He would say “this is the life!” Again, old soul. Despite his age Connor seemed to have a personal relationship with everyone in his life. His love and concern for his friends and family was evident on a daily basis.
Our lives were changed forever on December 15, 2014 when Connor was diagnosed with DIPG, and we were told he only had months to live. Five days after he was diagnosed he lost the ability to walk, and use the right side of this body. However, our superhero, The Amazing Connor Man, never lost his resolve. Every morning he would say he had a good night, even if he had gotten sick, or had had difficulty breathing. “Connor, how did you sleep? Gooood.” He never complained and he would focus on the things he could still do and took great enjoyment from that.
Despite his heroic effort, Connor gained his angel wings on October 29, 2015, just weeks before his 5th birthday. His little brother, Ryan, was born six days after he passed away. Connor showed us the meaning of unconditional love and brought so many people together. In a world where there is so much bad, Connor is LIGHT, he is HOPE, he is LOVE.
We have vowed to continue Connor’s fight for the rest of our lives. If you would like to learn more about the Amazing Connor Man please visit www.connorman.org or www.facebook.com/connormanfoundation
CONNOR OLYMPIA TRIBUTE FUND
Click on the “Donate” button below to make a tax-deductible donation to fund DIPG research in honor of Connor. An acknowledgment of the donation will be sent to Connor’s family. If you wish for a message to be included, please include it in the notes field, and it will be sent to the family. 100% of donations (minus any payment processing fees) will go to DIPG research.