Cody Pluger fought cystic fibrosis with courage and perseverance until he lost his life in 2008.
The Gresham community continued the fight against the respiratory disease Friday with the seventh annual Cystic Fibrosis Walk in his memory.
Ben Smith, Pluger’s younger brother, addressed a crowd of more than 100 at Gresham School before the walk.
“My brother’s legacy has nothing to do with the fact that he had cystic fibrosis,” Smith said. “His legacy has everything to do with how he lived his life.”
Smith, 20, said his brother did not allow the disease to control his life.
“My brother, despite his limitations, never used his disease as an excuse for not doing something,” Smith said. “He lived every day for what it was.”
Holding back tears, longtime Gresham faculty member Newell Haffner, in his 22nd year with the school, said he continues to tell stories about Pluger to students, recalling moments when he delivered homework to Pluger’s bed as he battled the disease.
He said students today are inspired by a student “they never even knew.”
“He was a great kid and great student, and was always happy,” Haffner said. “He helped everyone out in class.”
Smith said his big brother taught him to remain positive and upbeat in spite of struggles.
“A lot of times in life we worry about things that are not worth worrying about,” Smith said. “We dwell on the negatives and fail to see the positives. Every one of us has something inside of us that makes us special.”
Smith encouraged everyone to be grateful for what they have and to remember Pluger as a person.
“I want you to take a deep breath, look around you, and be thankful. Be thankful for every moment you get on this Earth, because you never know how many moments you will get,” Smith said.
In conjunction with the walk, the school held a T-shirt sale that raised $2,400 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The shirts were emblazoned with one word, “Breathe.”
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. About 30,000 children and adults in the United States have the disease.
There is no cure.
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