BOSTON (WHDH) – Devin Suau, the 6-year-old Framingham boy who spent months battling a rare form of brain cancer, died Friday morning with his family by his side, his mother said in a post on Facebook.
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“With a beyond shattered heart and soul, I write this post to tell you that our little super hero lost his very courageous battle,” Devin’s mother Christine Suau wrote. “Today is the worst day of our lives.”
Devin was diagnosed with a brain cancer known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma in Jan. 2017. Suau said her son was ineligible for clinical trials in the United States. As a result, he and his family traveled to London for treatment every four weeks.
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Devin’s family started the hashtag #WhyNotDevin to raise awareness for his form of cancer, which has no cure. The hashtag went viral after it was shared online and he has since received support from all around the world.
Devin captured hearts across the nation. One of those who reached out to Devin and his family was Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who invited Devin to ride in the Super Bowl parade alongside him in February.
“I was lucky to be in that boat with him,” Brady said on Friday. “I’ve been fortunate to meet a lot of brave, courageous people over the years.”
Devin was sworn in as Framingham police chief for a day, led the Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade and drew attention from many others in recent months.
“He was a young man with a big heart,” said Framingham Police Chief Kenneth Ferguson. “He was an inspiration to me.”
Suau asked everyone for continued prayers for her family. Devin would have turned 7 on Oct. 27. In September, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh declared Oct. 27 as Devin Suau Day.
“Today we lost one of our finest, Devin Suau. Devin captured the hearts of many, including mine. Keep the people in heaven safe, my friend,” said Walsh. The mayor accompanied Devin in the St. Patrick’s Day parade and remembered the boy’s sense of humor.
“I remember saying to him that day, you’re the mayor today, it’s your parade. At the end he stuck his hand out and said, ‘I’m the mayor, you gotta pay me now,'” said Walsh.
A vigil was held for Devin Friday evening in his hometown. People who attended wore green, Devin’s favorite color. Devin’s parents also spoke with 7News and thanked everyone for their prayers and support.
“We just hope to build awareness and help other children find a solution or a cure for this type of disease,” said Devin’s father, James Suau.
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Counselors will be on hand to assists teachers and students in Framigham moving forward.
“Our hearts go out to the Suau family. Devin touched so many people and his life made a difference. Sadly, he lost this battle, but in his fight he informed the world of this horrible disease.
Thank you Chief Devin for sharing your time, your smile and your humor with us,” the Framingham Police Department said in a statement.
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