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I don't know if any of you followed the last year of this young man's life, but he lost his battle with cancer last night. It's been a tough go lately for the folks at Tri-Valley.
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...509100321/1001
Tri-Valley graduate loses battle with leukemia
MELANIE BRANDERT
mbrander@argusleader.com
Published: 09/10/05
(Stuart Villanueva / Argus Leader)
Tri-Valley High School graduate Jay Tennessen died Friday night after a courageous yearlong battle with cancer.
It was a year that began with a diagnosis of leukemia and continued with a successful basketball season despite the disease and a bone-marrow transplant.
In May, Tennessen achieved one of his biggest goals, attending his high school graduation.
Tennessen, 18, of Lyons died at 7:20 p.m. Friday at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minn., from complications of graft vs. host disease, said his father, Tim.
His death was an-nounced at the football game between Tri-Valley and Harrisburg. Players paused for a moment of silence.
Tennessen's complications appeared July 24 after his body began to reject his new bone marrow. He was put on a ventilator on Aug. 30, his father said.
"He had internal bleeding. His blood pressure was dropping. They couldn't keep enough blood in him," Tim Tennessen said. "It's tough to watch your son go through this. I don't think you could watch a stranger go through this and not be touched."
Tennessen was diagnosed with leukemia last September. The cancer kept him off the football field, but doctors allowed him to try basketball.
He emerged as the Mustangs' second-leading scorer and led Tri-Valley to a fourth-place finish at the Class A state basketball tournament in Rapid City. Tennessen earned all-tourney honors.
"If we can take all parts of the strength that Jay had, we would be much better for it," said Superintendent Terry Eckstaine.
Tennessen's brother, Tony, served as his bone-marrow donor in April. Tennessen's health improved so much that he attended his graduation in May, wearing a mask to ward off infection.
But in the six weeks since his relapse, he suffered from pneumonia, a fungal infection and buildup of fluids that caused his weight to balloon, Tim Tennessen said.
Amy Abbas, 30, of Chancellor first met Tennessen, a friend of her brother, at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life two years ago at O'Gorman High School's track. Tennessen, Abbas' brother and other friends walked in memory of Abbas' grandparents. At one point, her brother could no longer walk on the track.
"I remember (Tennessen) saying, 'Don't worry, Deb (Abbas' mother). I'll stay on the track for your son,' " Abbas said.
Tim Tennessen said he learned the value of strength from his son through his ordeal.
"He never complained. He never once said, 'I'm tired of this. I'm not doing this anymore.' "
Funeral arrangements are pending with Minnehaha Funeral Home.
http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...509100321/1001
Tri-Valley graduate loses battle with leukemia
MELANIE BRANDERT
mbrander@argusleader.com
Published: 09/10/05
(Stuart Villanueva / Argus Leader)
Tri-Valley High School graduate Jay Tennessen died Friday night after a courageous yearlong battle with cancer.
It was a year that began with a diagnosis of leukemia and continued with a successful basketball season despite the disease and a bone-marrow transplant.
In May, Tennessen achieved one of his biggest goals, attending his high school graduation.
Tennessen, 18, of Lyons died at 7:20 p.m. Friday at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minn., from complications of graft vs. host disease, said his father, Tim.
His death was an-nounced at the football game between Tri-Valley and Harrisburg. Players paused for a moment of silence.
Tennessen's complications appeared July 24 after his body began to reject his new bone marrow. He was put on a ventilator on Aug. 30, his father said.
"He had internal bleeding. His blood pressure was dropping. They couldn't keep enough blood in him," Tim Tennessen said. "It's tough to watch your son go through this. I don't think you could watch a stranger go through this and not be touched."
Tennessen was diagnosed with leukemia last September. The cancer kept him off the football field, but doctors allowed him to try basketball.
He emerged as the Mustangs' second-leading scorer and led Tri-Valley to a fourth-place finish at the Class A state basketball tournament in Rapid City. Tennessen earned all-tourney honors.
"If we can take all parts of the strength that Jay had, we would be much better for it," said Superintendent Terry Eckstaine.
Tennessen's brother, Tony, served as his bone-marrow donor in April. Tennessen's health improved so much that he attended his graduation in May, wearing a mask to ward off infection.
But in the six weeks since his relapse, he suffered from pneumonia, a fungal infection and buildup of fluids that caused his weight to balloon, Tim Tennessen said.
Amy Abbas, 30, of Chancellor first met Tennessen, a friend of her brother, at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life two years ago at O'Gorman High School's track. Tennessen, Abbas' brother and other friends walked in memory of Abbas' grandparents. At one point, her brother could no longer walk on the track.
"I remember (Tennessen) saying, 'Don't worry, Deb (Abbas' mother). I'll stay on the track for your son,' " Abbas said.
Tim Tennessen said he learned the value of strength from his son through his ordeal.
"He never complained. He never once said, 'I'm tired of this. I'm not doing this anymore.' "
Funeral arrangements are pending with Minnehaha Funeral Home.
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