A little boy called Chace Topperwien touched the lives of many New Zealanders in recent months.
The story of his battle with a rare form of leukaemia and his parent's attempts to prolong his young life pulled at the heartstrings of everyone who read about it and followed his journey.
Yesterday in Whakatane, Chace's family and friends and members of the community, bid the youngster farewell. He was a brave wee boy who fought the brave fight until the end, when he died in the arms of his parents. They did everything they could to bring him quality of life and delay the inevitable and people warmed to their commitment to ensure they did the very best for their son.
Ryan and Keri Topperwien cherished their final weeks with the 3-year-old, taking him home to Whakatane where they grew up, where his grandparents live and where he loved to be.
As adults, while we may confront it and strive to beat it, we are also extremely aware of the negatives and the hardships which lie ahead when something like cancer rears its ugly head. We have knowledge and understanding young children don't have and that makes us scared, unsure about the future and angry at the unfairness of it all.
Children like Chace always seem so brave in the face of adversity. They inspire us with their resilience and their ability to withstand whatever life has handed them.
Rest in peace Chace.
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