Superhero superfan, 5-year-old Brayden Denton, fought a valiant 13-month battle with a cancerous brain tumor. Sadly the Kentland, Indiana child passed away on May 8 and last week the brave boy had a hero’s funeral with pallbearers dressed as the superheroes he loved so much.
“He was a huge Spider-Man fan. He had to quit just liking Spider-Man because he had all the toys. So really, he liked every superhero,” Brayden’s mother, Staci Denton, told WLFI News 18. The single mom felt that her son wouldn’t care about people dressed in suits and ties, so instead Staci decided on a funeral incorporating her son’s love of superheroes.
Staci wore a Spider-Man t-shirt to the service and Brayden’s uncle, Cory Denton, dressed as Thor. “It was hard, but I did it for him,” said Cory Denton. “We went to the Superman movie with him and he was dressed up as Superman. I watched all the Ironmans with him.”
As reported by the New York Daily News, Brayden had an aggressive brain cancer known as DIPG, which is terminal for 100% of patients. Brayden underwent high doses of steroids and 30 rounds of radiation. He braved it all and maintained his love of superheroes, eventually getting the opportunity to meet his favorite. Thanks to the Make-A-Wish foundation, last year Brayden was sent to Florida to meet Spider-Man at Universal Studios. The Spidey fan saw the beginning and end of the latest Spider-Man movie, and of course loved it. Staci told the paper, "That was one of our battles that we wanted to make sure he got to see that movie."
Brayden’s tumor was donated for research. Staci is trying to raise awareness for DIPG and working with Senator Ron Alting for state recognition of September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
