Community remembers 7-year-old lost to cancer

SALEM, N.H. — Teachers, students and friends are remembering a bubbly 7-year-old girl who died after a more than two year battle with brain cancer.

"She was a rockstar here. Everybody knew who she was, she smiled and was pleasant a wonderful to everybody," Janice Wilkins, North Salem Elementary School Principal told NH1.

Ava London Doiron-Frankland didn’t live a long life, but she lived a brave one.

After being diagnosed with glioblastoma brain cancer 30 months ago, Ava fought her way through every obstacle with a smile on her face.

On Monday, the 7-year-old passed away. Though she is now gone, her impact on North Salem Elementary School lives on.

“We celebrated, we cried, and we created in her honor and memory,” said Wilkins.

Thursday night, a group of teachers decorated the pavement and bricks with vibrant drawings and messages for the young angel to see from up above. On Friday, more people came, bringing their own balloons and drawings.

Now, the fence in front of school is lined with balloons, butterflies, and pinwheels and in big bold letters, “AVA”.

Thousands of people followed Ava's journey on the Facebook page, Ava's Army. Her family shared photos, videos and posts about her fight. The videos show the young girl smiling, singing and being a normal 7-year-old girl.

On Saturday, her father wrote a poignant Facebook post.

“We will never forget the feeling of your little hand wrapped around our fingers or held in the palm of our hand! Today we draw on that memory for the strength to get through this celebration of your short life! Forever BrAVA and forever in our hearts!” wrote Michael Doiron.

Ava leaves behind her fathers Jeffrey, Michael and a sister, Ella.

On Sunday there will be a celebration of life at Windham High School where people are urged to dress as their favorite super hero or princess. There will be a box of tiaras for people to wear.

Cox Media Group