It's 'Pete Week' in Parsippany

Teachers and students hope to brighten the end of a dark year for senior Peter Hebberd by designating Dec. 15 to 19 as "Pete Week" at Parsippany High School.

The popular, personable young man, who has endured recurrent brain tumors and cysts since 2003, will not be able to attend the event while he is undergoing another round of rehabilitation treatments at a hospital in New Brunswick. He has, in fact, missed most of his senior year to date, but his mother says he is hoping to be well enough to be back in class some time in the new year and walk with his classmates at graduation in June.

In the meantime, the Red Hawk Nation is rallying behind its favorite redhead.

Pete Week will continue efforts already under way to provide financial support Hebberd and his family. A crowd-funding project at Gofundme.org was established two months ago and passed its $4,800 goal on Thursday. Organizers hope that amount doubles and are actively promoting it in both the school and the community.

Thursday has been designated "Blue Out Day" throughout the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District and invites everyone to wear blue in unified support of a young man they refer to as their "hero." All 750 teachers and staffers in Parsippany's 14 schools are invited to donate $2 to the cause in exchange for permission to wear blue jeans on that day.

Principal Denis Mulrooney said attendance doubled at a recent monthly student service night at the school dedicated to making preparations, including signs and balloons to promote Pete Week and Blue Out Day.

"We usually have about 60 kids show up but that night the cafeteria was filled," Mulrooney said. "Once the word got out it was for Pete, about 130 kids showed up."

A video of Blue Out Day will be produced and sent to Peter so he can view it for himself.

Peter's mother, Roxanne Hebberd, says a "cascade of complications" followed a recent procedure to place a radio isotope in one of several cysts her son has developed during his illness. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation for that problem and she says all signs point to progress.

"We have every expectation it will work," she said.

Prior to his senior year, Peter was known for his outgoing and empathetic nature. But recent complications in his condition affected his personality, something both his mother and teachers noticed before he went back into treatment.

"Peter is all heart, and a really great, social kid," Mulrooney said. "He's going through a tough time right now, but when he's like the mayor of the school when he's on his feet. He's the kind of kid who, when you see him, he asks how your family is doing, and really means it. It's been a rough year, so his teachers wanted to do something for the whole family, and show Peter we love him and are thinking about him."

"He is the son that every mother would want," Roxanne Hebberd said. "He is just a very empathic and sympathetic kid. He's had a very rough road, but he just kind of rolls with it."

"Peter is the most caring, empathetic, selfless person I've ever known," said Jennifer Fedo, his life-skills and job-skills teacher who has known the Hebberd family for years. "He makes people laugh, he puts others first, and he's just very genuine."

Fedo said Peter has put others first even while undergoing, since 2003, 13 surgeries (seven of which were brain procedures), three rounds of chemotherapy, placement of a feeding tube, shunt and medi-port, a staph infection, more than 50 MRIs and countless physical-, occupational- and speech-therapy sessions.

"It's amazing to me that with all he has going on, his primary concern is not his own illness," Fedo said. "I know that if someone else were in his situation, Peter would be the first one asking how he could help."

Parsippany High School also has placed an engraved honoring Peter Hebberd and his family in the school's main entrance walkway.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-428-6627; wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com.

To donate to Peter Hebberd's fund, visit http://www.gofundme.com/peterhebberd.

For more information about Peter Hebberd's recovery, visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/peterhebberd.