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The Boy From Mat No. 6

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By KEITH MORELLI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 23, 2008

Updated: 02/23/2008 12:14 am

TAMPA - Jonathan Rivera may never make it to elementary school.

He is dying from a cancer that has left him drained and hairless from three grueling chemotherapy treatments over his short five years.

Jonathan, however, really wanted to go to school like his younger brother, who attends a Head Start program for 3- and 4-year-olds.

So the rules were bent a little, and in December, Jonathan started class.

"He did great," said his mother, 28-year-old Mary Beltran, who was worried he would be teased because of his age and how he looks. "It was amazing how much the other kids love him."

Jonathan hasn't made it to class for the past couple of weeks. He is in pain, unable to sleep. Friday afternoon, while his 19 classmates counted toy dinosaurs and sang songs, he lay on the couch of his Town 'N Country home, dozing in his Spider-Man T-shirt and clutching an action figure.

Jonathan, though, is never far from the thoughts of his new friends. No one knows whether they understand what is happening with him, but they understand they want to help. They are doing what they know how to do, sending letters to people they know to raise money for Jonathan's family in a difficult time.

They also put up a bulletin board for Jonathan to keep him close. Pictures of Jonathan and his classmates form a sad collage. "We Love You, Jonathan," it says in the middle. And just below: "Te Queremos Mucho."

Teacher's assistant Marta Fernandez points to photos on the board showing Jonathan and his family as they try to fulfill his wishes - at Lowry Park Zoo on the river cruise, and riding a camel.

"I rode a camel," one 3-year-old classmate pipes up.

On the east wall of the class is a map, showing where the students should put down their nap mats. Jonathan is in position No. 6.

His brother, 3-year-old Angel, was in a class nearby Friday morning, in a glum mood - maybe because he got in trouble for giving himself a haircut.

"Jonathan came to our class a couple of months ago, and he has touched our hearts and our lives," Fernandez said. "He is sick, but it's been a blessing for myself to have him in my class and to get to know him."

Defying Doctors' Predictions

Doctors told Mary Beltran that her son had two weeks to live. That was a month ago.

Recently, Jonathan asked her when he could go back to school. The couch is not his kind of place.

She couldn't answer. He likely won't be going back.

Jonathan's cancer has left him with a tumor between his eyes.

"The first time was real aggressive chemo," Beltran said, sitting on the black couch next to her son, his feet in her lap. "The second time was double the dose of the first."

After the third chemo session, doctors said they could do no more.

Jonathan said he, too, had had enough of the sickening treatments. That was in August.

"I didn't know what to do," Beltran said. "He told me that he didn't want to go back to the hospital no more, that he wanted to go to school and have fun."

School it was.

"He was always a strong boy. Even after surgery, he was running around like nothing happened."
Beltran said the family doesn't really need money now, but those at school are collecting food and cash as a gesture of support.

Jonathan's condition has worsened recently. Thursday, he was up most of the night. He slept late Friday.

Maybe there still will be time to do more of the things he always wanted to do.

School Wish Fulfilled

If Jonathan is up to it, he is going on a water scooter ride in Carrollwood on Sunday. Earlier this week, there was the zoo and the boat ride.

And he got to go to school.

Ray Edwards, a social worker with the Head Start program on North Lois Avenue, said he met Jonathan when his mom brought Angel to enroll in August.

"His mother wanted to enroll him," Edwards said. "But since he was in treatment, she wasn't sure that was the proper thing to do. We waited until she was sure of that."

Jonathan fit in "very, very well."

"That was his wish," Edwards said, "to go to school with his brother. He was really ready for it."

He added, "We knew he was terminal. That situation was very unique here. It's very difficult because it gets to you. There were times when he was in a lot of pain."

Tonya Morris, one of Jonathan's teachers, had to take a breath before she could talk about him Friday.

"He's a bright student, caring and loving," Morris said. "He loves to play with his dinosaurs and interacts well with the others. It's really touching."

The other kids had some adjusting to do at first. It took a few hours before they began to accept that Jonathan was bald.

"We talked to them. They've seen him," Morris said. "We read stories to explain his health condition.

"I don't know if they really understand his health condition, but they're really good with him."

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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