"Hundreds of people are walking
around with a better quality of
life because of his generosity..."
4A
Monday, April 12, 2004
AGGIELI
the IUTTaUi
A child’s wish
My son was one of 12 Aggies to die in the Bonfire collapse.
We were devastated when it happened. We knew nothing
could bring him back. But his bones and other tissue live on
in 50 or more people who would have been crippled by bone
cancer or other diseases. Because of Christopher, people can
walk, run, and hold their kids. Donation really was a way to
honor his generous spirit. -Marian Breen
SHARE YOUR LIFE. SHARE YOUR DECISION.
Visit us Thursday, April 29th
from 9am to 3pm on the Academic Plaza.
NO PURCHASE, PAYMENT OR RENTAL OF ANY KIND IS
NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES
CONTEST RUNS FROM MARCH 1 - APRIL 30,
(ai A
Camden. 5
Living Excellence
9-year-old cancer victim leaves legacy
for classmates on his old playground
By Jim Suhr
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ST. LOUIS — Battling an incurable brain
tumor that robbed him of his sight, 9-year-old
Mak Shulist made a dying wish that had nothing
to do with meeting with a celebrity, shaking a
president’s hand or going to Walt Disney World.
Before his death Friday, Mak got the Make-
A-Wish Foundation to do something for his
friends — build a rock-climbing
wall on the playground of
Ellisville Elementary School.
“It says a lot about the family
and the type of person he was —
selfless, thoughtful and caring,”
said Dave Kites, principal at the
600-student school in suburban
Ellisville. “We learned a lesson
from a 9-year-old — that even
when we’re going through tough
times we should be thinking of
other people and not ourselves.”
Mak’s illness was diagnosed
about a year ago. Kites said,
when physical education teach
ers noticed him losing his bal
ance and falling while he ran
around the track.
Despite chemotherapy and
radiation treatments, the tumor
came back last fall about the
time Mak started third grade.
Kites said. Mak last attended school in Ociol*
or November.
“I thought he was going to wish thatthert
was a medicine or something, and he just
wished for that,” schoolmate Will Randalltd
KSDK-TV. “And l was like, ‘Whoa, he’sni«
The family remained private, but abasia
appeared outside their home and becamea
drop-off spot for well-wishers. “Peoplewoifii
put a gift in there every day,” Knessaid.
As Mak’s health declined, the Make-a-fni
Foundation hustled tobuildik
7-foot-high climbing wall.
“From the time the wish
granted to the time they wett
playing on it was lessthantr
weeks,” Knes said. Heestii®
it cost the foundationSlO.i;
$15.OOO. Volunteers put it
together.
On Thursday. Knes video
taped students scaling theni
and describing it in detail (oi
Mak ’s benefit, and he rushedi
tape to Mak’s parents.
“We tried to hit the audiotta
ly big for him," the principala:
“His mom said he did hear it’
Mak died the next day,siu
rounded by family.
“Every time I’m goinglott
on this wall I think abouthii
and what he did for us, "said
We learned a
lesson from a 9-
year-old — that even
when we're going
through tough
times we should be
thinking of other
people and not
ourselves.
— Dave Knes
Principal, Ellisville
Elementary School
Document talks of
al-Qaida determi
nation to launch
U.S. attacks
CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - A
document sent to President Bush
before the Sept. 11 attacks cited
recent intelligence of a possible
al-Qaida plot to strike inside the
United States.
The White House released the
document Saturday.
“Clandestine, foreign govern
ment, and media reports indicate
Bin Laden since 1997 has want
ed to conduct terrorist attacks in
the US," the memo to Bush stat
ed. Bin Laden implied in U.S. tel
evision interviews in 1997 and
1998 that his followers would fol
low the example of World Trade
Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and
“bring the fighting to America.”
The document, declassified
Saturday, said that after President
Clinton launched missile strikes
on his base in Afghanistan in
1998, “bin Laden told followers
he wanted to retaliate in
Washington.” The memo cited
intelligence from another country,
but the White House blacked out
the name of the country.
Efforts to launch an attack
from Canada around the time of
“Y2K” “may have been part of
bin Laden's first serious attempt
to implement a terrorist strike in
the U.S.” the document states.
Victoria’s Secret
drops fashion show
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -
Victoria's Secret is dropping its
nationally televised fashion show
this year, at least partly because
of criticism following Janet
Jackson’s breast-baring faux pas
at the Super Bowl.
Ed Razek, chief creative officer
NEWS IN BRIEF
for the Columbus-based lingerie
chain, said Saturday the main
reason for the decision was so
the company can look at new
ways to promote the brand.
Still, he said. “We had to make
the decision probably six to eight
weeks ago when the heat was on
the television networks."
The announcement came less
than three months after the
Jackson uproar and a week after
federal regulators proposed
$495,000 in fines against Clear
Channel Communications for
sexual material on the Howard
Stern show.
The televised fashion show has
generated criticism in the past
from groups complaining about
supermodels strutting down the
runway in skimpy underwear.
Pope presides over
Easter vigil service
in St. Peter’s Basilica
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Looking
weak and speaking with great
effort, Pope John Paul II blessed the
flame of a tall candle at the start of
a long Easter vigil service Saturday
night in a packed St. Peter’s
Basilica. The pontiff baptized peo
ple from Europe, Africa and Asia in
a solemn, chant-filled ceremony.
The pope’s right hand trembled
as he poured water from a gold-
colored, shell-shaped scooper
over the heads of a young man
from Italy, a toddler from Togo,
two Japanese women in kimonos
and three others during baptism.
Earlier, John Paul slowly leaned
forward in his chair to insert five
grains of incense into the cream-
colored candle’s wax.
John Paul gripped the candle
as he was wheeled in his chair up
the center aisle of a darkened
basilica.
Thousands of faithful held
small candles whose flarrtes
sparked in the darkness.Ate:
deacon’s sung phrase, "Lm
Christi" (Light of Christ,inlai'
rang out through the cm:
basilica for a third time, ft
lights went on in the basilica 1 :
the vigil service, whidilas:
about three hours.
Parents of ‘WeirMf
found dead into
FALLBR00K, CalMftP)-
elderly parents of Grammyr
nmg recording artist "Weirdf
Yankovic were found dead:
their home, apparentlyvictiirc:
carbon monoxide poisoning,r
cials said.
Nick and Mary Yankovic«
found dead Friday in theif
ban San Diego home by relate
who were worried because ft
had not seen the couple inaili
Paramedics found Ift
Yankovic, 86, in a chair inti
front living room. His 81-yeart
wife was on the bathroomfto
A wood fire had beensetrec?
ly in the fireplace, Graysonsad
'The house was full ofs®*
when they opened the da?
Grayson said, adding that fie ft
ily members found theflueclosa
“Weird Al” Yankovic, 40
no comment during a pete
ance in Mankato, Minn. '
Saturday night.
Before the show, a graphic, 1
jected on the screens at theft
of the stage dedicated theeven
to his parents, KTOE-AMrep®
Yankovic also canceled a®
and-greet with selected fans
A neighbor descri
Yankovic’s parents as nicep
pie who were proud of theirs:'
“Everybody who carnets*
neighborhood knew Nick," s
John Buehman, who livesatf
the street. “They're goingts
missed, big time."
Come up and ioiniisj
You'll love the
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