Written with Stacy Sallinen, Contributing Writer
Collin Tarbox loved a good party. He loved giving gifts to family and friends for no reason or to celebrate a special milestone. He was a fan of the New York Giants and tacos. When he grew up, he wanted to drive a food truck with tacos and call it Tarbox Tacos.
A fourth-grade student at Great Falls, Collin was diagnosed at birth with a rare inflammatory genetic disease called Blau Syndrome. Born on June 18, 2007 to Jess Connolly (GHS ’02) and Derek Tarbox, Collin spent most of his life in and out of The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital (BBCH) and The Boston Children’s Hospital. He lost his battle on January 4.
Photo courtesy of The Barbara Bush Children’s HospitalCollin Tarbox holds the specialty license plate to benefit The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital.
Collin had an impact on his school, teachers, and classmates. Though he missed a lot of school, he kept up with his school work with help from a teacher on staff at BBCH. His first-grade teacher, Terry Bryson, said she visited Collin in the hospital and brought him a gift to make him smile. She left that day feeling like he had given her more than she had brought him.
“Collin was a selfless kid. He always thought of others. Never asked for anything for himself. Never complained, even when he was sick,” recalled Bryson.
Collin moved to hospice care at BBCH in October. He spent the last weeks of life doing what he loved, and planned an extraordinary Christmas party for all the children in the hospital with help from staff. Connolly, his mom, said in true Collin-like fashion, he collected and distributed gifts to the children and didn’t keep any for himself.
Patty Larosa, Collin’s second grade teacher, learned of the party during a visit and noticed that his room was decorated with several paper plate crafts of the Grinch. Feeling inspired, she rallied teachers and students to decorate a hallway with Grinch faces in honor of Collin.
She wanted Collin to know that his Great Falls family was thinking of him. A short video of the décor was sent to Collin. “He got a real kick out of them,” Larosa said. “The goofier the face the more he liked it.”
The Grinch project inspired two of his classmates, Abigail Fortier and Emily Fluet, to make and sell Grinch ornaments: clear, glass orbs filled with green paper and a red heart painted on the outside. Proceeds were given to Collin’s family, who in turn donated half to BBCH.
After two of his friends from the hospital passed away, Collin worked with Matt Parks, Director of Philanthropy, Annual and Special Giving at Maine Med to turn an idea into reality.
Collin played an instrumental role in collecting signatures needed for a specialty license plate to benefit BBCH. Despite not feeling well, Collin didn’t let his health stop him from asking customers at local businesses to sign his petition. Parks recalled attending a Portland Pirates game with Collin who was so busy handing out flyers and obtaining signatures that he missed most of the game. He was on a mission.
The Transportation Committee signed the bill into law on January 9, five days after Collin died. His legacy lives on. Parks said he hopes people will be reminded of Collin’s kind and selfless ways every time they see a specialty plate on the road.
Collin was loved and well known by many people. “He had so many friends and connections that we didn’t know about,” his dad said. Always full of surprises, Collin had his friend from Day’s Jewelers deliver an unexpected gift, a necklace with a silver cross, to his parents and sisters, Shawna Laskey, a freshman at Gorham High School and Brooklyn Tarbox, a sixth grader at Gorham Middle School, on the day of his service.
Collin frequently FaceTimed with former First Lady Barbara Bush and went out on special outings with Frank 107.5 radio personality Heidi Knight.
Described by his parents as caring, selfless, and wise beyond his years, Collin was known for his ability to orchestrate an event from his hospital bed. Christmas day was spent quietly with his family. His only wish was to take a bath. Too weak to shower on his own and too big for the tub in his room, he picked up the phone and called the labor and delivery department to reserve a room with a large jacuzzi tub. Connolly said no one had any idea this was happening until Collin’s on-duty nurse received a call about him making a hotel-like reservation. His wish came true.
Connolly said Collin taught her a valuable lesson: no matter how hard you have it, someone else has it worse. “I watched Collin struggle every day for ten years,” she said. “How can I complain? I don’t want his life to be lived in vain. Look at what he accomplished from his hospital bed.”
Editor’s Note: The family has set up a GoFundMe page in Collin’s name to help cover expenses.