HANSON — More than 1,300 mourners packed St. Joseph the Worker Church on Monday to say goodbye to Erin Croghan, a 15-year-old sophomore at Whitman-Hanson High School who lost a six-month battle with leukemia Wednesday.
"It showed how many people she touched," said cousin David Billings about the outpouring of support shown by the fellow students, townspeople, friends and family during the illness.
Although the leukemia was in remission at the time of her death, complications from an infection contracted during chemotherapy resulted in her being admitted to Children's Hospital five weeks ago.
"She learned a lot in the last six months, and she learned to appreciate her family, friends, everything she had, and she never showed any weakness," said Billings.
Erin's father said she drew strength during her illness from the large group of supporters from Hanson, Whitman-Hanson High School and Children's Hospital.
"She had a core group of friends since she was a little girl that grew as she grew. People were drawn to her. She brought people together. It really amazed us," said Patrick Croghan, Erin's father.
People in the community handed out bumper stickers that read "When you read this, say a prayer for Erin."
Erin's cousin Rose Billings, also a sophomore at Whitman-Hanson High School, came up with the idea of creating a paper chain, with each slip of paper in the chain containing a student's message of hope to Erin.
The chain was not completed when students returned to school Thursday and learned of Erin's death during a school announcement.
David Floeck, Erin's soccer coach, said the sudden end to what appeared to be a successful battle against the disease made Erin's death more difficult for the students to handle.
"It was so sudden. She was playing one day and said, ‘I have to go to the doctor.' Then that was it, she never returned," said Floeck. "I think everybody has a special Erin memory and story because she had one of those personalities that she was always doing something to make people laugh."
Over the next two days, students continued to write slips to the family, sharing special memories of Erin. In total, more than $1,500 was raised for the family. Any additional donations will be given to the Jimmy Fund.
The outpouring of support was a source of comfort for both Erin and her family, parents Patrick and Joanne, and siblings, Lauren 13, Jennifer, 10, Patrick Jr., 4, and Jillian, 2.
"It meant a lot to her because she didn't want them to forget about her just because she wasn't there, and it helped us a lot to know that they were there," said Lauren Croghan of the students' efforts on Erin's behalf.
