When Eduardo Velasquez was a sixth grade student at Kennedy School in North Bergen, he stood out like a beacon in the fog. He was a big and strong 12-year-old, standing almost six feet tall and weighing more than 200 pounds, a young man who played football for the North Bergen Recreation Youth Football program and had aspirations to one day play for North Bergen High School. His mother, Norma, learned from other classmates that Eduardo was the class clown.
“He was always happy and laughing, full of life,” said Kennedy School Principal Robert Dandorph. “He was a big, strong, good kid.”
“During the football season, Eduardo always stood out,” North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco said. “We saw a kid with a lot of potential with his incredible physical size and the heart he portrayed.”
However, about a year ago, Eduardo was diagnosed with leukemia.
“The whole thing was too unreal for us,” Dandorph said. “No one could believe it.”
Velasquez put up a brave fight against the hideous disease.
“His classmates went to see him in the hospital, and he was strong, courageous and brave,” Dandorph said. “Although he was hurting and he was sad, he put on a strong face and tried to be himself the whole time.”
Unfortunately, the battle against leukemia was a losing one. Eduardo lost his life in June after a six-month struggle.
“I really believed that his spirit would carry him through,” Sacco said. “Sadly, that wasn’t the case.”
While Dandorph and members of his faculty went to visit the dying teenager in the hospital, they decided they wanted to do something to honor him.
“Since he showed so much courage, we wanted to do something that could remember his courage and strength,” Dandorph said. “He was remarkable with his will and strength to go on. We thought it would be nice to find a place in the school to honor him and there was no place better than the library. So we looked for books that were age appropriate, books that featured courage and strength.”
The school would then purchase those books, like “Children’s Soup for the Kid’s Soul,” and put them in a portion of the library that would be dedicated in Eduardo’s memory.
On Monday morning, with Eduardo’s mother, sister and grandmother present, as well as many of his classmates, a plaque was unveiled dedicating the spot of the Kennedy School library that was reserved in the memory of Eduardo Velasquez.
The emotional ceremony took place, with many of the seventh grade students and teachers moved to tears, remembering their friend, their student, the youngster who lightened their lives for the short time he was with them.
Each year, the school will purchase 15 to 20 new books and place them in the area, dedicated to Eduardo’s memory. “The theme for the books will be courage,” Dandorph said. “We wanted to have a tribute that would live with us forever.”
Norma Velasquez presented the school with a donation to purchase some of the books.
“I thank you all for playing such a big part of Eduardo’s life,” Norma Velasquez said. “We all have a lot of memories of him and those memories will go on. We all miss him. We miss the clown of the class. But I appreciate all you did for him.”
Second grader Najee Robles also happened to be Eduardo’s cousin. She stood up to speak to the entire class. “I loved him a lot and I wish he was here,” Robles said. “I know that he’s looking down on us and smiling right now.”
No truer words were spoken.
“I think it’s a good way to keep Eduardo alive in our lives,” Dandorph said. “He was just called to a better life, but while he was with us, he was truly something special. When we’re long gone, kids in this school will have something to remember Eduardo Velasquez.”