TULSA, Okla. — A Broken Arrow Middle School School student received a very special homecoming.
Jude Hawpe started battling a form of brain cancer around Christmas. Thursday, the thirteen year old, returned home after spending nearly eight months in Memphis undergoing treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Jude said the outpouring of support from his school, friends, and family made him realize how loved he really is.
“Oh man it was the best! I’ve never seen that many people care about me," Jude said, about the warm homecoming.
Dozens of friends and family members surprising Jude as he arrived home from Memphis Thursday afternoon. Wednesday, Jude underwent his last radiation treatment and is now back home in Broken Arrow.
“Ever since I got myself back from all of the seizures I had, I was looking forward to this for eight months,” Jude said.
“Those were probably the longest days of my life and doing that last radiation and treatment I was crying in my mask, which the tears got stuck in my eyes," Hawpe said.
Jude's mother Kayleigh says his cancer journey started last Christmas when he began feeling sick. She said doctors found a tumor on his Pineal gland in his head. She said while they weighed the best treatment options, Jude hemorrhaged.
"By the time we got to St. Jude, he had lost his ability to walk, talk, swallow, all the things," Kayleigh Hawpe, Jude's mother said.
Since then, Jude has come a long way.
“I almost died, just going over to Memphis because all the seizures, and all the stuff, and then you’re here now. You couldn’t walk, I was on feeds, I had something in my stomach… and then now, you’re here... It’s insane," Jude said.
Jude will continue chemotherapy here in Tulsa with the oncology team at St. Francis around 6 to 9 months. His grandmother said faith carried them through.
“We have faith in God. I mean totally faith, and so that kept us going, kept us going, kept us going through, and helped you regain your composure if you will," Laura Bronson, Jude's grandmother said.
Jude said he's happy to be back to enjoy the beautiful gifts life has to offer.
“I’ve been looking just to be with my friends and be with my family really," Jude said.
His mother said they are waiting for his immune system to get back to normal, but Jude is ready to return to school.
If you would like to support Jude's Gofundme page you can click here.
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