A boy's fight to the end

Though he lived but nine years, Matthew Thomas Costis managed to inspire people as far away as Australia and the United Kingdom.

Battling brain cancer for more than a year, he maintained a positive outlook.

And he was telling jokes up until about three weeks ago.

Those were some of the memories Cherry Costis shared Monday about her grandson, who died Saturday at his home in Warrenton.

“He’s touched people all over the world,” the Manassas resident said.

Since being diagnosed last year, Matthew’s story has captured the heart of the community.

He first started feeling poorly in early February 2008. His neck was aching, and he was losing his balance easily and vomiting.

After first thinking the problem was influenza, doctors removed a tumor from his brain during a six-hour procedure in the middle of the night.

And if the cancer wasn’t bad enough, Matthew has suffered from seizures, pneumonia and a heart condition since then.

That’s a lot for a little boy to handle, but Costis said her grandson stayed cheerful and fought “to the very end.”

Sometimes, the youngster would get scared, such as the time he asked his father, Tom Costis, to hold his hand through the night as he slept.

But he didn’t really seem down until about two weeks ago, Cherry Costis said, and he was even able to attend a July Fourth celebration.

“And that was the last time he went outside,” Costis said, though she added that she envisions the third-grader as playing soccer right now in heaven.

Costis said she wanted to thank the community for all the care and well-wishes her family has received over the past several months.

For example, she noted the support of Stonewall Jackson High School, where her son is a teacher.

The school has seen pancake breakfasts, a talent show, a kickball contest, bake sales and even T-shirts with the slogan, “Caring For Costis.”

A group of students there also provided all of the Christmas gifts last year for Matthew and for his 8-year-old sister, Kaitlyn.

In addition to his father, his sister and his paternal grandmother, Matthew is survived by his mother, Priscilla Costis; his paternal grandfather, Bill Costis; and his maternal grandparents, Adalberto and Graciela Gutierrez.

A memorial service will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Manassas Baptist Church.

The family requested that expressions of sympathy take the form of contributions to Children’s National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave., Washington, DC 20010, or to Hospice of the Rapidan Inc., 1200 Sunset Lane, #2320, Culpeper, VA 22701-3376.

Online condolences also may be sent to the family at foundandsons.com. Found and Sons Funeral Chapels is handling the arrangements.

Staff writer Jonathan Hunley can be reached at 703-369-5738.