They'll 'Keep Fighting for Him': Cancer Victim Gavin Rupp, 13, Remembered by Hundreds

Story Written by Ethan Levine

Normal.

That’s the only thing most 13-year-old boys in the thrust of their middle school years want to be.

But to his classmates, Gavin Rupp was a  "Cancer Warrior," a name he earned for his attitude and demeanor throughout his 30-month battle with brain cancer.

“Before I had cancer, normal felt kind of boring,” Rupp said in a Children’s National Medical Center video shown during a Friday service honoring his life. “But normal now is kind of special.”

As it turned out, Rupp was much more than a “normal” junior high student — something repeated countless times in a service Friday that celebrated the teen’s life just days after he lost that battle with cancer.

Boys in grey uniforms with “Riverdogs” scrawled across the chest and orange ones that read “Falcons,” uniforms the boys had once worn alongside Rupp, were all throughout the crowd. Other classmates came in formal wear to pay their respects.

There were parents consoling children, and children consoling parents. 

• Read: Heaven Gains 'An Angel Warrior': Gavin Rupp, 13, Dies After Battle with Cancer

Many other members of the Ashburn community were in attendance to celebrate the boy who had inspired them all. Some were neighbors, some knew him through baseball. Some had never met him at all.

But that's the kind of person Gavin Rupp was.

For an hour and a half, stories emerged about the teen, all of them about how Gavin had been a good friend or a loyal classmate.

Jay O’Brien, a neighbor of the Rupp family, told a story of a woman who approached Chris Rupp, Gavin’s father. He didn’t know her, and she had never met anyone in the Rupp family, but she wanted to introduce herself because she was new in the area, and her daughter, who was Gavin’s age, was new in school. Gavin was apparently so welcoming and kind her first few weeks in school that it made her transition to a new home that much easier.

• Read: Obituary: Gavin Rupp, 13

Gavin was kind, and never met anyone he did not like. O’Brien talked of how, even while sick, Rupp would come to events and speak to everyone in the room rather than just goof around with his group of friends. He was welcoming to everyone, part of what made Rupp’s fight with cancer that much more inspiring.

He was also a great teammate, and loved baseball; the programs at the service were printed like large baseball cards. His former coach, Greg Rosales, spoke about Rupp on the field where, like in life, he was a leader.

Rosales recalled the only time he could remember Rupp complaining around the team. A teammate of Rupp’s was at-bat as Gavin watched from the dugout next to Rosales. The batter let a pitch right down the middle go across the plate for a strike, and Rupp learned over to Rosales to say, “That kid would be a lot better if he worked harder in practice.”

That same work ethic from the ballpark stayed with Gavin in his fight against brain cancer.

Rupp was determined to be “normal” again like his friends. According to Rosales, when Rupp’s dad suggested he stand at the front of the mound at Nationals Park to throw the honorary first pitch to Bryce Harper, Rupp shrugged him off and threw from the rubber like a Major League pitcher.

Donna Speckhard, who has lived two houses down from the Rupp’s since they moved to Ashburn from their home in Ohio, remembered that less than a week after returning home after having his first brain tumor removed, Gavin was already in his driveway playing basketball with his friends.

But Gavin was never able to fight his way to being “normal” again; instead, he became inspirational. What started as small fundraisers in Rupp’s honor to raise awareness for pediatric cancer grew to become an area-wide movement, even resulting with Rupp meeting Harper, his favorite player, and spending a day at Nationals Park; the family also went to this year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans.

• Read more: Bryce Harper Calls Cancer Victim Gavin Rupp, 13, 'My Hero'

On Wednesday evening, just one day after Gavin's passing, a candlelight vigil was held in his memory at Eagle Ridge Middle School, where Rupp would have begun the eighth grade this September.

More than 200 fellow students and community members were in attendance to remember Gavin and celebrate his life. A choked up Scott Phillips, principal at Eagle Ridge only since the end of the school year, gave an emotional address during which he teared up multiple times.

"It was very emotional," said Speckhard, who also attended the vigil. "But it was good for the kids to help them deal with the tragedy."

There will be more opportunities to honor Rupp: On Aug. 26, Broadlands Village Center will host Fundraiser by the Fountain, an event to raise money for the Gavin Rupp Fund and to spike awareness about pediatric cancer.

The event will run from 5 p.m. til 9 p.m. at the fountain in the Village Center, and will feature a raffle, silent auction, t-shirts and live music.

Many restaurants in and near the Village Center will also be donating a percentage of their revenue that evening to the Gavin Rupp Fund, including Parallel Wine Bistro, Sal's NY Pizza, All American Steakhouse, Maggie Moos, Robeks, Curiousity Zone, Subway and more.

"The vendors donating proceeds and community members who have donated items (for the raffle and the auction) have bent over backwards for this event," Speckhard said. "Many of them didn't know Gavin, but they all knew his story. They all think of him and his family and they can relate. That's what makes them want to get involved."

Other local businesses have also begun raising funds in honor of Rupp, including Athletic Revolution of Ashburn. The athletics business has placed a collection jar in its storefront to raise money for the Rupp family.

Liam Daly, owner of Athletic Revolution, said the money will go directly to the family, allowing them to use it in Gavin's honor however they see fit.

"It's just so unfortunate what happened to Gavin, he was such a strong kid," Daly said. "That's why we wanted to give back to his family."

But Rupp’s service was not to dwell on the tragedy of his death. Each speaker made clear that the intention of the service was to celebrate Rupp’s life and to keep fighting his fight against pediatric cancer.

Over the years, Speckhard became close friends with Gavin's mother, Sandy, forming a close bond with the entire family.

She recalled the last time she saw Gavin before he died.

"One of the last times I saw him he was asleep in bed and I came into the room, put my hand on his leg, and promised him I would keep fighting for him," Speckhard said while fighting back tears. "And I will keep fighting for him."