“A year and a half ago, Reese’s tumor was compressing on her spinal cord and she was rapidly losing her ability to stand and walk. She had to have an emergency surgery to help save her from becoming permanently paralyzed,” said her mom, Allyson. “She was hours away from never being able to walk again. The feeling of seeing Reese after chemo treatments and two major life-threatening surgeries smiling, running and tumbling with the Superhero Crew and Acrobatics and Tumbling team is priceless. She had such a great time and knowing there are such caring and generous students at Quinnipiac makes me smile.”

That’s one of the benefits of the Quinnipiac Love Your Melon crew, it’s able to create unforgettable, day-long adventures tailored to patients’ favorite activities. It wasn’t difficult for the Quinnipiac crew to come up with the perfect activity for Reese after learning that gymnastics is one of her favorite activities.

“Having Reese here with us for her Superhero Adventure on Sunday was inspiring to me and our whole crew,” said Amy Lafleur ‘18, event manager for Quinnipiac Love Your Melon. “Her bubbly personality and loving support from her parents radiated to all of us. I am so thankful to have met Reese and give her a day that made her feel special. It showed me that one small act of kindness and compassion can make anyone's day a little brighter.”

Student Experience

The Acrobatics and Tumbling team took a break from its preparations for next week’s NCATA national championships to spend part of their day with Reese.

“After practice ended, the team formed a runway for Reese to show off all the gymnastics skills she learned,” Lafleur said. “Cheers echoed throughout the Athletics and Recreation Center as the athletes cheered her on.”

After competing with some of America’s best gymnasts, Reese enjoyed making arts and crafts and sharing pizza and cookies with the light-hearted Love Your Melon team. Reese’s contentment with the day shone through on her car ride home, as she slept and snored the entire way.