Bernalillo kindergartener with cancer gets send off

BERNALILLO — If star treatment can provide a boost to cancer treatment, then Friday might have been the start of Lexi Hargrave’s journey to kick her illness. 

Hargrave, a kindergartner at WD Carroll Elementary School, received a police escort from her central Bernalillo home to the school, merely minutes apart from one another. But what started with flashing and wailing sirens down C. del Escuela Road culminated in the cheers of supporters from Carroll Elementary School waiting for her on the school’s north side.

“We’re just happy to be here. It’s just important for Lexi to see that we’re one community; we’re behind her, and we’re here for her if she needs us,” Bernalillo Police Oofficer Michael Martinez said. His vehicle, joined by others in his department as well as firetrucks, involved a 15-miles-per-hour crawl down the street as onlookers waved and cheered.

The event came as Hargrave, who has neuroblastoma, prepares to depart for Colorado with her family to receive advanced cancer treatment.

For the Hargraves family, which includes sister Jazlyn, brother Jordan, and her parents — Brad and Monica — the surprise event for their daughter was something of a ray of sunshine.

“It’s just exciting for us to see her have happy days,” Brad Hargrave said. “It gives us something back through all the hard days.”

The event was conceived by Allison Mills, a Carroll Elementary School parent whose daughter is friends with Hargrave. Mills said she first thought of the event the week before it was held. 

“I just knew I wanted to do something special,” she said. Not having specifics in mind, Mills reached out to Carroll Elementary School Principal Sarah Armstrong, who put her in touch with other school officials with an eye for event planning. The group put their heads together and came up with a public safety escort.

“What do you do when a little girl has cancer? I just wanted to have a little farewell so that both Lexi and her whole family know we’re all cheering for her,” said Mills, who became emotional discussing Hargrave.

Cheer they did, holding signs bearing messages like “Lexi Strong” and “We’ll miss you.” Hargrave, with her shaved head donning a pink tiara, waved at her peers, teachers and parents — and hugged them, too.

“We’ll be praying for you, OK, babe?” one woman told Hargrave after a hug.

Armstrong recognized the parents who organized the event — the same ones who knew Hargrave going back to preschool.

“We miss her every day,” Armstrong said of her cancer-stricken pupil, who has been absent since October, when she was first diagnosed. “We just want to show we’re rooting for her, we’re praying for her. We can’t wait for her to come back and be healthy.”