Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Cancer patient, filmmaker dies at 13

By LANE DeGREGORY
Published June 9, 2005

	Dylan Crane Go to May 22 article with video

ST. PETERSBURG - Dylan Crane, the 13-year-old St. Petersburg boy who created an award-winning documentary about his struggle with cancer and became an inspiration to adults and youth alike, died Wednesday.

"We spent the whole day with him. I bathed him in lavender and played his music and we told him how very special he was," his mom wrote in an online journal. "It was peaceful and pain free."

Dylan had been in intensive care, heavily sedated, for the last six weeks. But during that time, his documentary about his struggle with cancer debuted on television as part of the All-Children's Hospital telethon. His movie was featured in a Floridian story on May 22. And his film won first place in Florida's regional student media awards.

Dylan had planned to make My Cancer Miracle a trilogy.

During the last month, after intensive chemotherapy and complications from Ewing's sarcoma, Dylan's liver had failed. His lungs had collapsed. He had hemorrhaged from his mouth, stomach and bladder.

"I keep reminding him of all the great things waiting on him when he's recuperated," his mom wrote Monday. " "Primetime Live with Diane Sawyer and the Good Morning America show both want to cover Dylan's story ... "

Funeral arrangements had not been made as of late Wednesday.

But only hours after he died, dozens of comments filled his hospital Web site:

"I never knew such a young boy could have such an old soul, and be so brave plus generous to share his story with the world to help others."

"The spirit of such a special boy will never die. ... Thousands of people were moved by his courage, his sense of optimism, and his dedication to his love of film making."

"The miracle was here all along. The miracle was Dylan."

[Last modified June 9, 2005, 01:16:07]