26 Apr 2010 ‘Sarah Beth’s Believers’

Her fellow sixth-graders, most of whom she has known since early childhood, welcomed her like royalty and orbited protectively around her as they celebrated her first day back. Her parents, Mark and Michelle Briggler, attended a party

in Sarah Beth’s honor in her home room along with her classmates. The students, as well as the teachers, wore T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Sarah Beth’s Believers.”

The class, 26 members strong, hovered around Sarah Beth as she flipped through a scrapbook they made for her while she was gone. They also introduced her to “Sarah Beth Jr.,” a life-size doll made of paper the class used as a stand-in.

When the pizza arrived, the girls in the class huddled into a cozy circle, reunited with Sarah Beth.
Mark Briggler said his daughter was diagnosed in July 2009, and she has been out of school since January. “She’s been doing homebound (schooling) through Conway Public Schools. That’s worked out really good,” he said.

Michelle Briggler said the class made a quilt and brought it to their home during a visit with Sarah Beth. The students also had a party for her the day before her surgery. “They went above and beyond to make her feel included,” she said.

Following surgery, Sarah Beth had six rounds of chemotherapy.

Mark Briggler said, “You can’t live your life wondering ‘what if.’ In my mind, she’s healed. I’m telling everyone this is our new normal.”

Michelle Briggler said, “We’re putting our faith in God.”

The couple said they received an outpouring of support from the community.

“Not just the people of St. Joe, but so many people in Conway supported her and prayed for us,” Michelle Briggler said.

Sarah Beth said of her friends’ efforts, “I came up here (to the school) a few times and came to recess. They made a doll that kind of took my place. They made me a quilt with all our T-shirts. They made me that scrapbook. One time they came to my house when they gave me the quilt, and they made me a sign that said ‘I love you.’ It made me feel better, because one of the days they came I wasn’t feeling too good.”

Alicia Yrle is Sarah Beth’s teacher for English, reading, religion, spelling and the girls’ home room. “From day one, even though she wasn’t here with me, she had her desk, she had her cubby – everything the other girls had, Sarah Beth had.

“They are very tight-knit. They’re one of the smallest classes. Most of them have been together since they were in preschool. We’re thrilled to have her back. She’s always been part of this classroom; she just wasn’t physically with us. Now we have all of Sarah Beth back.”

She continued, “Tia Massa had the idea for Sarah Beth Jr. Tia’s one of her very best friends. She did it all freehand. Tia’s a very good artist.”

Steve Massa is Sarah Beth’s math, science and social studies teacher. He is Tia’s father. “It was hard, because she and my daughter are friends,” he said. “I’m glad she’s back.”

Tia said of the months without Sarah Beth, “We felt like we were missing someone.”

Sami Foster, another girl in the class, added, “It felt like part of the class was missing. It just felt different.”
Yrle said, “We’re filled with joy and thankful to God that He’s allowed her to be back with us.”