Watch the little boy receiving a standing ovation by his classmates
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Video Credit: Rumble
A six-year-old boy named John Oliver Zippay had a three-year-long battle with leukemia.
After finishing his last round of chemotherapy, his classmates at St Helen’s Catholic School, Ohio gave him a warm welcome and a standing ovation.
John, from Newbury, Ohio, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2016 when he was just three.
His parents were also present at the school when John’s classmates at St Helen’s Catholic School, Ohio celebrated his last round of chemotherapy and gave him a standing ovation.
His father told Fox 8: “He’s doing great! Yeah, he’s feeling better. A lot of his side effects over the years involved his legs from the steroids and he’s doing great.”
“He had a meta-port in his chest so he wasn’t able to do any physical activity for three years. So it was hard for him, had to sit back for gym class and things.”
His mother Megan said: “You want that for your child, to grow up and get dirty and play outside and have fun and we kept him in a bubble so we’re excited.
Looking forward to the future and having our little boy back.”
When John arrived at the school, his classmates gave him a warm welcome and a standing ovation. A school assembly was also held to celebrate his last round of chemotherapy.
Principal Patrick Gannon said: “Him having to miss some of the time was tough, but the class was just so happy to see him come back.”
John’s father said: “We consider ourselves so lucky and so blessed. We’ve had so much support from family, friends, community members, the school and hospital staff.”
“And that’s when I told him, “okay buddy, you gotta ring the bell. Ring it for all the kids who didn’t have the chance to ring it” and it’s like everything went into slow motion for me. He rang it so hard, he was so proud.”
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