There were many great loves in the life of nine-year-old Owen Fox. Fishing, a stuffed rabbit “bun bun,” family and the community of Grant Park were just a few.
“He was sweet, shy, loving and kind,” said his mother, Mittie Fox.
Owen was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of five. He would spend the next three years of his life undergoing treatment and inspiring everyone who knew him.
“He brought people together just by being himself,” said family friend Rachel Quartarone.
Owen enjoyed just being a kid. He could throw a football with his left and right hands, and he loved math and building projects with his father. Owen was curious and adventurous, the kind of kid who thought twice about getting on a zip line, but jumped on and became a zip line master, his father, John Fox, said.
“He was my best friend,” said Sam Quartarone. Sam and Owen grew up together, and their birthdays were a few days apart. For one birthday in particular, Sam remembers driving go-karts, playing arcade games and jumping through rope courses with Owen.
“He loved everybody,” Sam said.
Owen Fox, of Atlanta, died Monday from West Nile virus. He was nine. A memorial service will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 634 West Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta.
“He taught us how to be strong,” said his mother.
Several years ago, Rachel Quartarone and many people of the Grant Park community took it upon themselves to support the Fox family.
On days Owen was in the hospital the community arranged play dates for his younger sister, Mittie June Fox, 7, and filled the family freezer with food. Owen was a student at Wesley International Academy but had to miss a lot of school due to hospital visits. The charter school made arrangements for a teacher to go to his home and tutor him each week.
“He emanated light and love, people were attracted to that,” said Quartarone.
John Fox recalled walking up to his home after a long week in the hospital and seeing someone had come and cut the grass for him.
“I never heard of a community that did those kinds of things; it was such great support,” he said.
In 2012 a group from the community known as Team Owen gathered at Centennial Olympic Park for the Georgia Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual Atlanta Light the Night Walk. Team Owen raised more than $70,000 through individual contributions and fundraisers for the walk.
“We want to continue to support the family,” Quartarone said.
Owen was honored by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as the 2012 Boy of the Year.
His mother said, “I remember he asked me, ‘Do all these people care about me?’ ”
She told him, “Yes they do.”
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
