Local 11-year-old boy gets drive-by parade from community after beating cancer

PHOENIX, Ore. — A local boy recently beat cancer in less than a year and last night the community came together to celebrate with him, while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

“I’m just so glad to be done with all of it,” said Elio James.

Last August, 11-year-old Elio was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a very rare type of bone cancer.

Cancer survivors generally ring a bell when they beat their cancer.

“There wasn’t a bell to ring, and I know that Elio’s been looking forward to ringing the bell, so that kinda just started my idea – well, I have to get a bell. I reached out to my friend who is a wood worker and he made an amazing board for Elio and we put a really cool bell on it,” said Elio’s mother, Vanessa Jimenez.

Jimenez says at first they invited a few friends and the local football team to help celebrate Elio finishing treatment.

“More and more people wanted to be part of it and I was like okay, so it got bigger and bigger,” Jimenez said.

Saturday night, around 100 showed up, driving by to show Elio their support.

Elio and his mother say they’re tremendously grateful towards the community.

“These people coming to support me after I just finished, I feel so happy,” Elio said.

“As a mom, to just know that so many people love and support your child… it’s really overwhelming and just an absolute blessing,” added Jimenez.