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Lawrence Scout posthumously receives 'Spirit of the Eagle' Award

 

By Yadira Betances, Staff Writer, Eagle Tribune, June 6, 2008
 

ANDOVER — Cynthia Crespo left the Wyndham Andover hotel last night clutching a plaque and her eyes were still red from crying.

"There are no words to explain how happy we are," said Crespo, whose son, Luis Rodriguez, a Boy Scout with Pack 2 in Lawrence, died three months ago at a friend's birthday party from an abnormal coronary artery on the left side of his body. He was only 8.

It was a bittersweet evening for Crespo and her husband, Luis Rodriguez, as their son was posthumously honored with the Spirit of the Eagle Award by members of the Yankee Clipper Council.

"Even though this is not going to bring Luis back, I know he is watching from above and he is happy," Crespo said.

To which her husband, interjected, "And it is good to know that no one has forgotten."

That is exactly what Charles Boddy, who has been in scouting since the 1970s, wanted to do when he petitioned the national Boy Scouts of America for the honor.

"The Spirit of the Eagle Award is rare," Boddy said before handing the plaque to Luis' parents. "I'm not privileged, but honored to present this to you."

The Boy Scouts of America recently created the award to recognize a young Scout who has lost his life through an accident or illness. It is given by the National Court of Honor to celebrate a late Scout's life and in recognition of the joy, happiness and experiences scouting brought to his life.

Luis was one of the first children to join Pack 2 when it was formed at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, said Boddy, whose effort started an outreach within the Hispanic community.

Boddy said the second-grader at Tarbox School delved into scouting and his parents said he enjoyed visiting the New England Aquarium, Lawrence fire station and collecting bugs in the woods.

Boddy said he is glad he was able to honor Luis for his family.

"It showed we had done something meaningful for them because they're feeling it," Boddy said. "It shows them we are a family in scouting and a loss to them, is a loss to our family."

Luis' grandmother Wanda Silva told Boddy, when she came to visit from Puerto Rico, her grandson was so proud of being a Boy Scout and beamed with pride when he showed her his uniform. Silva attended the ceremony last night with paternal grandmother Margarita Valentin, aunts Francesca Tapia and Ana Castillo and uncle Hector Castillo.

Crespo said she will hang the award in Luis' room, and not far from his closet where his uniform still hangs.

Also last night, the Yankee Clipper Council presented its Distinguished Citizen Awards for 2008.

Honorees for that award were Thomas Barenboim, president of Clark Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Methuen; William Buck, owner of Stone Wall Real Estate in Andover; and David DeFillippo, principal of Central Catholic High School.