Grayson was a creative lefty who loved to entertain and make others laugh. He was witty, intelligent and outgoing. He enjoyed all kinds of games, from playing golf to Minecraft to board games like Scrabble, Chess and Clue. In his high school marching band, he was one of the percussion players. He loved Jesus, his family, his friends, and his beloved dog, Mr. Brady.

His childhood cancer journey started in 2019, when Grayson had a tonic-clonic seizure at home one evening out of the blue. Rushed by ambulance to the nearest children's hospital, Grayson then underwent a CT scan that showed something on his brain. After an MRI of his brain, doctors discovered a tumor. Following a craniotomy with tumor resection, they sent the tumor off for testing which revealed Grayson’s diagnosis of anaplastic astrocytoma.

Grayson's treatment was intense, including a craniotomy with tumor resection, proton therapy radiation, oral chemo, IV chemo, photon therapy radiation, and a trial at Duke Children's for high grade brain tumors. The side effects were difficult, including losing part of his vision, weight gain, and difficulty walking. For 23 months, he faced these treatments with bravery and courage before passing away in March 2021.

The strength of Grayson is why he remains his family’s hero. He endured so much and did so willingly. He laid still during every MRI and cooperated with every needle prick. He told his parents that he felt God allowed him to have cancer so that someone else wouldn't have to. He maintained a positive attitude and concern for others, despite all the suffering he endured.

For other families facing this disease, Gloria knows everyone's journey will look different, even if two kids have the same diagnosis and same treatment plan. Each child will respond differently and have different bumps in the road. For Gloria, their faith in God was vital and sustained them. She says to ask questions and not let pride get in the way of asking for help. There are many great resources out there, including everyone’s own community. She also suggests creating a Facebook page for the journey, and to let people know what they need to help them.

During Grayson’s fight, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) provided gas cards through the Travel For Care program so they could make the 7-hour trip to Duke for the vaccine trial. His younger brother Christian was also enrolled in the SuperSibs program. To them, they hope ALSF will continue to be able to provide support to pediatric cancer families and continue to support researchers in finding cures.

Above all, Gloria wants Grayson's fight and life honored. There is currently no cure for his type of brain cancer. She would love to see a future with cures for all types of pediatric cancer, so that no family has to go through what they did.

Information provided by Gloria, Grayson’s mom

Updated March 2024