PORT ANGELES — One of Theo Nelson’s last acts, before the 6-year-old died in a car wreck Oct. 18, was to set aside money on his night stand for a new playground slide at his school.
The slide has been ordered, said Jefferson Elementary School Principal Michelle Olsen, and will be erected in the playground, probably in February.
Next to it will be a memorial to the tow-headed, blue-eyed boy who not only raised the second highest amount of money of any student in the school for the slide, but also had a smile Olsen will never forget and “a gift, just a kindness to everybody and a willingness to help.”
Theodin — called Theo at Jefferson Elementary — and his grandmother, Mary Wyman, 60, died in a collision that injured two other people, newlyweds Josh and Emily Dickens, on state Highway 112 near Power Plant Road, west of Port Angeles.
Theo was the son of Darrell Nelson, a Sequim Police Department detective, and Brooke Nelson, a real estate agent who was a Port Angeles City Council candidate at the time of the wreck, who lost both her son and her mother in the crash. She was elected in the Nov. 3 general election and will take office in January.
Theo raised $157 to go toward replacing the school’s slide — which vandals had destroyed in the spring.
The money was the second highest amount raised by a single Jefferson student for the fundraising campaign that began Oct. 1.Students raised money through soliciting pledges for an Oct. 31 “triathlon” that involved 15 minutes each of reading, running and jumping rope.
The total raised — $3,274. 52 — enough to replace the slide.
“Theo was into it big time,” said his first-grade teacher, Christine Chang. “He was determined to get the money for the slide.”
Theo shirts
The day of the triathlon, Theo’s 22 classmates wore purple shirts emblazoned with his name that Chang had Captain T’s in Port Angeles make for them.
They took 15-minute shifts, sitting in for him as school secretary of the day — generally Vicki Anderson’s job — the prize Theo won for being a top fundraiser.
The first place winner, Francis Shirley, won the prize of being principal for a day. Drake Lacey, the third-place winner was physical education teacher for a day, while Smit Kataria, fourth-place winner, was music teacher for the day.
Theo’s dream was to do Anderson’s job.
“Theo was a talker,” Chang said. “He had said Vicki has the coolest job because she gets to talk to people all day long.”
Each of the four winners were presented certificates and stuffed Jefferson Wolves, the school mascot.
Theo’s older sister, Clara Nelson, accepted a certificate and wolf in Theo’s honor, said Tina Smith-O’Hara, Port Angeles School District spokeswoman.
Night stand money
The Wednesday after their son’s memorial service, Darrell and Brooke Nelson brought the money he had earned from odd jobs and put aside on his night stand to the school.
“We decided to honor his wish,” said Theo’s father.
“He had been saving his money on his night stand, and he wanted to take that down and donate it to the school.”
Theo also had been soliciting money from his grandparents, his father said, and wanted to go door-to-door.
“The Monday after the accident, that’s when we’d scheduled to start doing that,” he said.
Peanut butter donation
Theo’s grandfather, Tom Thompson, contributed in Theo’s memory.
“We weren’t in the lead by any means” in a Port Angeles Lions Club peanut butter drive that would award a catered lunch to the classroom that raised the most ounces for the Port Angeles Food Bank, Chang said.
“One afternoon, Tom Thompson showed up and had bags and bags and bags of peanut butter,” which he donated in his grandson’s name, she said.
“Theo’s grandpa knew that Theo would have wanted to help others by donating peanut butter so he brought in a large donation in Theo’s honor.” Olsen said.
That put Chang’s class over the top, and “helped us bring in 2,479 ounces of peanut butter.”
But the fundraising is not the primary accomplishment remembered about Theo.
Winning smile
Everyone seemed to know him. Everyone mentioned his winning smile.
“That boy radiated life like crazy,” Chang said.
“He loved to learn,” she added, saying she got “questions galore from him,” and not just the “why, why, why” of many first-graders.
“He did it in the most inquisitive way. He wanted to learn more about everything.”
“He glowed.”
Olsen called him “the most wonderful, angelic little boy.
“His smile every day, that’s the first thing you noticed. I would hear him before I’d see him. He’d say, ‘Mrs.Olsen,’ and run to give me a hug.”
Theo knew everyone’s name, she added.
“He even knew the night janitor by name. He’d always say hello.
“He touched everybody’s life.”
When he grew up, Theo wanted to be a police officer, or maybe an Army ranger, like his dad used to be.
“He wanted to be like his dad and his mom,” said Darrell Nelson.
“He was 6, so he wanted to be everything.”
‘Wonderful tribute’
The children wearing the Theo T-shirts and sharing to fulfill Theo’s prize provided “a wonderful tribute to Theo’s sense of generosity and concern for others,” Thompson said.
“These thoughtful children will be fine leaders to represent our community in the future.”
The Jefferson School staff and the parents who participated “are also to be commended for demonstrating their acts of kindness as a good model for the children to follow,” he added.
Darrell Nelson said he appreciated the efforts of students and administrators to remember his son.
“I think it’s wonderful,” he said. “He loved school and was very invested in it. We talked often about getting the new slide. He was just invested in the school.”
Said Brooke Nelson: “The only words I have to add would be to thank our community for their outreach of continued love and support which helps us every day.
“Our sincere gratitude.”
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Managing Editor/News Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3531 or leah.leach@peninsuladailynews.com.
