On a frosty December evening in Leesport, Iron Man, Scarlett Witch, Harley Quinn, Black Widow and Captain America stood huddled around the warmth of a propane heat lamp set up outside the Union Fire Company.
The crowds that filed past the impressive scene Saturday scarcely seemed to notice. Some offered a smile or small chuckle, while others simply nodded in recognition.
There were no shouts of excitement. There were no hugs or high-fives. There was no begging for photos.
They weren’t the heroes people had come to see.
Guests at Very Riley Christmas, a superhero-themed Christmas party held at Union Fire Company in Leesport on Saturday in honor of Riley Rejniak, are decked out in hero costumes. The 13-year-old Riley has been battling cancer since he was in kindergarten. (DAVID MEKEEL – READING EAGLE)
They were there to see the quiet kid, the timid kid sitting on a black, leather sofa tucked away in the corner of the fire station. The one who typically answers questions from strangers with a short “yes” or “no” — unless those queries happen to be about video games, of course.
They were there to see the kid who loves to read, the one whose father describes him as “sweet” and usually prefers tranquility over excitement. The kid who never puts himself before others.
They were there to see Riley Rejniak.
So they lined up, patiently waiting for their chance to spend a few moments with Riley. To share a brief chat, to steal a quick hug, to pose for a photo.
For a quiet kid, it was a lot to handle. But Riley did, gracefully and joyfully.
A red cape hanging from his neck and an oxygen tube resting below his nose, the 13-year-old smiled and waved as he greeted person after person.
Riley Rejniak rests on a sofa in between chatting with guests at A Very Riley Christmas, a superhero-themed Christmas party held at Union Fire Company in Leesport on Saturday in his honor. The 13-year-old has been battling cancer since he was in kindergarten. (DAVID MEKEEL – READING EAGLE)
“I’m sure his blood pressure is a little elevated,” his dad, Greg, said. “But he really wanted to be here.”
So much so, in fact, that the day before he made a back-up plan, just in case. On Friday Riley was still a patient at Hershey Medical Center, receiving treatment for the cancer he was diagnosed with as a kindergartner.
“He told me he was going to break out if he had to to make sure he would make it here,” Greg said.
After all, what would A Very Riley Christmas be without its namesake?
A Very Riley Christmas was a benefit for the Riley Rejniak Supplemental Needs Trust, which provides funding for Riley and his family for expenses related to the battle with stage four neuroblastoma he has been fighting for years.
Recently, they’ve received difficult news about that battle.
His father said Saturday that Riley has suffered a relapse, the fourth since his original diagnosis. This time around the cancer is resistant to chemotherapy.
It has caused him to have problems regulating his blood pressure and for fluid to fill his lungs. He was released from the hospital in home hospice care.
“It’s been pretty devastating this week, his body is just shutting down,” his dad said. “I can’t even explain how we’re feeling.”
Amid the dark times, Greg said, Saturday’s event — which combined Riley’s love for superheroes with holiday cheer — was a bright light.
“This community is incredibly heartwarming,” he said.
Organizing and holding the party was a no-brainer for those who know Riley.
“We know he’s had a terribly difficult year,” said Melissa Engleman, chair of the trust and an organizer of the event. “So we wanted to make his Christmas special and do something to support his family.”
A superhero-themed Christmas party was held at Union Fire Company in Leesport on Saturday in honor of Riley Rejniak, 13, who has been battling cancer since he was in kindergarten. (DAVID MEKEEL – READING EAGLE)
Engleman said picking a theme for the event was also easy. Riley has always loved superheroes, particularly Spider-Man.
So with Christmas just around the corner, it made sense to mix a couple of genres.
“Superheroes and Santa — that makes it very Riley,” Engelman said.
Greg said he appreciated the idea, saying it was a perfect fit for his son.
“He’s my superhero,” he said. “He is my absolute best friend, I love that kid.”
Greg said he feels lucky to have been able to see Riley grow into a teenager and marveled at the person he’s become. He’s caring, he’s brave, he’s incredibly strong.
“Through all of his struggles, he’s never worried about himself,” Greg said. “He has said to me that he’d rather have cancer than anyone else he knows have it.”
“And when they found lesions on his brain and he was crying, it was only because I was crying and he didn’t want to see me upset,” he added, tears forming in his reddening eyes. “I don’t deserve him.”