Perry Elementary receives donation in memory of Brantley Taylor
A very special piece of the Perry Maroon family was lost in August of this year, but his memory is cherished by the teachers and students who knew him at Perry Elementary School. Second grader, Brantley Maddox Taylor, was born with a rare genetic condition called MECP-2 Duplication Syndrome. While there is ongoing research to better understand MECP-2 Duplication Syndrome, it is a terminal condition with no cure.
He attended Perry Elementary and was in the second grade (age 9) at the time of his passing on August 10, 2023.
Brantley’s family was introduced to Mrs. Stacy Ruth, Foundational Learning Program instructor, and the Special Services team at Perry Elementary School in 2016 and he was welcomed with open arms. Brantley’s mother, Taryn Taylor, expressed how difficult of a decision it was to send Brantley to school and trust someone else to take care of him during the school day, “There was a lot of worry, but once I met Mrs. Ruth I was comforted and knew he was in good hands in her classroom,” said Taryn.
Brantley's legacy lives on in the town of Perry, especially at Perry Elementary School. Teachers, paraprofessionals, and fellow students miss him everyday. Mrs. Ruth stated how students in her class still talk about him and share stories, “He was a big part of our class and we loved him. He was easy to love."
Soon after his passing, Taryn's Perry High School class of 2004 immediately came together to support the family. Spearheaded by classmates and friends, Amanda Wilson and Jennifer Kinzie, they setup a fund in honor of Brantley and were flooded with donations from classmates and community members. The original intention was to donate a portion of the money to research and a portion to Perry Elementary School. However, the Taylor family made the decision to donate all of it to Mrs. Ruth’s classroom in memory of Brantley.
On Friday, October 27, Bryan, Taryn and Gentry Taylor, along with Amanda Wilson on behalf of PHS class of 2004, presented a donation to Mrs. Ruth to use toward her classroom.
With tears in her eyes and big hugs for the family, Mrs. Ruth commented, “We are profoundly grateful. We still love him so much and he is on my mind every single day. I think of him when I’m doing lesson plans, when I’m at home, and see little reminders of him often that make me smile.”
Brantley’s memory will also be etched into Perry Schools history as a bench will be placed in the new outdoor classrooms/walking trail, generously sponsored by Perry Parents and Teachers (PPT) organization.
Brantley touched the heart of everyone he met and to know him was to love him. Although he is dearly missed, his positive impact will be remembered for generations to come.