Alyssa Bruno, the young Henrietta girl whose struggle with cancer touched tens of thousands, died yesterday.
She had diffuse pontine glioma, a cancer in the brain stem.
Alyssa, who completed kindergarten at Sherman Elementary School in Rush-Henrietta Central School District, turned 6 years old on Aug. 2.
For her birthday, the ailing child received more than 60,000 birthday cards, flowers and gifts from around the world, all because of an e-mail sent by Alyssa's kindergarten teacher Marcy Mooney.
Mooney told a few friends about her former student in the message. She attached pictures and asked people to send birthday cards and a penny for good luck.
She is survived by her parents Christopher and Lori Bruno and numerous family members.
Calling hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Miller Funeral Homes, 3325 S. Winton Road, Henrietta. Alyssa's funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Anne Church, 1600 Mt. Hope Ave., Rochester. She will be buried in Pine Hill Cemetery in Rush.
In lieu of flowers, family members ask that donations to be directed to CURE Childhood Cancer Association, 200 Westfall Road, Rochester, N.Y., 14620.
I am passing this information along to all of you because I know that many who read this board were kind enough to send letters and cards to Alyssa. I thought you should know that now she is at peace. Again thank you for your acts of kindness.
