BAND OF BALD BROTHERS FIREFIGHTERS, OFFICERS SHAVED IN MEMORY OF JOHN TAGGART, 5.Byline: Josh Kleinbaum Staff Writer NORTH HOLLYWOOD - When other youngsters were learning to play T-ball and count to 10, John Taggart John Taggart (1942) is an American poet and critic. He was born in Guthrie Center, Iowa. He graduated with honors in 1965 from Earlham College in Indiana, earning a B.A. in English Literature and Philosophy. In 1966 he received a M.A. was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments - an ordeal he faced without anesthesia or fear. ``He was such a trouper,'' said Tamara Taggart Tamara Taggart is a Canadian television presenter. She currently serves as the weekday weather presenter on CIVT-TV ("CTV-9") in Vancouver, British Columbia. Taggart's career in broadcasting started while she was attending BCIT in Burnaby, British Columbia, where she was , John's mother. ``He'd just take off his shirt and go in. He didn't know what they were doing, that they were blasting things into his brain. That was his life.'' John was just 2 when he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma Neuroblastoma Definition Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that usually originates either in the tissues of the adrenal gland or in the ganglia of the abdomen or in the ganglia of the nervous system. , a rare form of childhood cancer that affects the nervous system. With aggressive treatment that included a stem-cell transplant, his cancer was twice driven into remission Extinguishment or release of a debt. A remission is conventional when it comes about through an express grant to the debtor by a creditor. It is tacit when the creditor makes a voluntary surrender of the original title to the debtor under private signature constituting the before he died last October at age 5. ``I've never met anyone stronger than him,'' said Kelly Taggart, John's father, a city firefighter. ``Someone asked me, who would be your hero? He would be my hero.'' John's portrait was on display Friday at Fire Station 89, where police and firefighters shaved their heads in a fundraiser for pediatric pediatric /pe·di·at·ric/ (pe?de-at´rik) pertaining to the health of children. pe·di·at·ric adj. Of or relating to pediatrics. cancer research. The annual event was organized four years ago by Los Angeles Fire Department The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), also known as the Los Angeles City Fire Department to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles. Capt. Waldie Brangham, whose wife is a breast-cancer survivor. ``Everyone knows someone or other affected by cancer, one way or another,'' Brangham said. ``But kids, it tears you apart. These kids haven't ever experienced life at all, and they're fighting for their life, dealing with chemotherapy and everything.'' Part of a national fundraising campaign called St. Baldrick's, which is held each year on or near St. Patrick's St. Patrick's or Saint Patrick's may refer to:
Brangham hoped to raise $75,000 during Friday's event. Eight shaving stations were set up in the parking lot of the fire station. By 7:45 a.m., there was already a line of firefighters who came from all over the city to show their support for the cause. ``I didn't even tell my wife I was coming here today,'' said Firefighter Erik Schneider, assigned to the West Adams area of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . ``She's in for a surprise.'' With their other children, Luke, 2, and Hallie, 7, looking on, Kelly Taggart shaved her husband's head, so it looked like John's so often had. ``What I absolutely miss most about him is being able to hold him,'' Kelly Taggart said. ``His smell, and the soft little peach fuzz
Peach Fuzz, is an original English-language manga made by Lindsay Cibos and Jared Hodges, and originally published in January 11 2005 by TOKYOPOP. that would occasionally grow back on his bald chemo che·mo n. Chemotherapy or a chemotherapeutic treatment. head. I miss the smell, his smell. I will always remember that.'' Josh Kleinbaum, (818) 713-3669 josh.kleinbaum(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1) Rosie Bowman shaves Firefighter Ben Fazeli's head, left, while Christina Earle shaves police Officer Jeramie Schulze on Friday at the fourth annual St. Baldrick's day event at Fire Station 89. David Sprague/Staff Photographer (2) Would you like a boa with that shave? Firefighter Victor Oseguera gets the feather-duster treatment after his close cut Friday at Fire Station 89. The fundraising event, called St. Baldrick's, was dedicated to 5-year-old John Taggart, a firefighter's son who lost his battle to neuroblastoma in October. (3) ``I've never met anyone stronger than him. Someone asked me, who would be your hero? He would be my hero.'' - Kelly Taggart Los Angeles firefighter and father of John Taggart, who died of neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer. |
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