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Harrison Woman Walks In Memory Of Son Who Died Of Cancer

PEEKSKILL, N.Y. -- Marion Clark's son Jeffrey Clark, Jr., a Peekskill resident, was only 23 years old when he died after a three year battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

A team is walking in honor of Jeffrey Clark.

A team is walking in honor of Jeffrey Clark.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marion Clark

Marion Clark, who now lives in Harrison, will be participating in the Leukemia and Lymphona Society's Light The Night Walk at Playland Amuesement Park In Rye on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. with her team, Jeffrey Lived Loved Laughed. 

This is the second year Clark is participating in the walk. Her team is also walking in honor of Brian Vinton, a 24-year-old Peekskill resident battling lymphoma. 

Jeffrey Clark Jr. was a lifelong Peekskill resident who graduated from Peekskill High School and worked at Applebee's in the Cortlandt Town Center.

His funeral was attended by 500 people and the city issued a proclamation in his honor. 

"Jeffrey was planning on doing the walk in 2012, but he had to go back to the hospital, he was having complications from a stem cell transplant," Clark said. "He went in and never came out."

Clark was in remission, but died from complications related to battling the disease. Marion Clark is also a Hodgkin's survivor and battled the cancer the same time her son was.

"I would get chemotherapy and see him in the hospital," Clark said. "It really hit home."

Clark said she was helped out by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and by the Peekskill community.

"The walk is our way of all of us getting together to reminisce and keep Jeffrey's memory alive," Clark said. 

Jeffrey was the type of person who made an impression on everybody, his mother said.

"He had so potential," Clark said. "He really wanted to do his part and be more than just a cancer patient or cancer survivor. He wanted to be an advocate. He wanted to have his own talk show. He had the most beautiful 100 megawatt smile."

Anyone who met Jeffrey came away with a good feeling, Clark said.

"He gave off such positive vibes," Clark said. "Teachers loved him and his family adored him. This is has been really difficult for us."

Since her son's death, Marion Clark has moved to Harrison. Her team is hoping to raise $10,000.

To donate to Clark's team, visit http://pages.lightthenight.org/ctwhv/Wstchstr14/jeffreylivedlovedlaughed

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