Clayton Dabney’s life has been celebrated by family, friends and even strangers for the past 19 years. At the Dallas Country Club on Wednesday, February 26, that celebration of what would have been Clayton’s 25th birthday was truly over the top benefiting the Clayton Dabney Foundation.
Wine ring tossing and other game took place in the reception area. Unfortunately, every time the front doors opened, the slight chill and breeze of the day became an unwanted guest. Luckily, the crowd was so great and hearty that no one seemed to notice. Certainly not the clowns who seemed to be everywhere.
At high noon the doors to the ballroom opened and Eddie Coker was on stage. A rainbow of balloons served as a backdrop for the stage. Each table had bouquets of balloons towering above. These would become more than typical decorations later.
The 21st century version of Mr. Peppermint, Eddie did his best to get the crowd in the spirit of the day. Despite his best efforts, the guests appeared to be as shy as kindergarteners on their first day of school.
After 15 minutes, Eddie invited ladies on stage. Results: three appeared but two were MIA. Eventually, he rallied five gals to be on stage. Like go-go dancers on Sump’n Else, they danced.
What fun! But only a fourth of the tables seat danced joining in the fun. The others were having too much fun chatting, lunching and watching the five dance.
At 12:20 Eddie tried to get the handful of men in the audience on stage. At first no one approached. This time he put a shout out to Clayton Dabney Foundation Advisory Council Member Leslie Ficke to bring her table of guests and struck gold. She got two men and four women on stage. Another chap almost made it, but backed off when he saw others filling the stage.
At first the jacketed gents seemed a bit sheepish, but they soon got with the program and were happy dancing. To the side of the room, the Dabney family (mother Shelby, father Scott, sisters Christina and Kate and brother Michael) sat at a table watching the celebration. This occasion was a poignant one. Yes, they had lost Clayton 19 years ago, but they gained a purpose and had helped countless families make the final journey with their terminally ill children.
As the dancing ended and Eddie stepped from the stage, a podium took the entertainer’s place on the platform. Eddie was quiet, but the luncheon chatter continued.
At 12:37 p.m., Clayton Dabney Foundation Chair Bob Carter reported that 2,200 children had been served in the past 19 years.
Just three minutes later, Clayton’s mum Shelby Dabney took her place at the podium. Over the years, she told how she had written letters to Clayton to stay connected with him. She read one with tears in her eyes. Then Shelby told how this celebration of Clayton’s birthday was really to celebrate the children that the Foundation had helped.
Then she told how the day that Clayton was born, the nurse brought him to her saying, “I want you to my best friend. He has an old soul.” In hindsight, Shelby felt this was a sign that her son was indeed unique. He was always more concerned about the other kids at his birthday parties. At one point when he couldn’t leave the hospital to celebrate his birthday, his family and friends brought the cake to him.
The mother recalled those final days. All she could do was “rub his little bald head” as the angels were there to help comfort him and his “yellow light” called him.
By 12:53 Shelby had finished and Dr. Patrick Leavey told of a youngster, who facing his final weeks, asked that he and his father finished restore a vintage vehicle. Without hesitation, the Clayton Dabney Foundation made it happen. He admitted that he was astounded at the compassion and immediacy in which this foundation responded.
Following Dr. Leavey’s talk and the drawing of raffle tickets by the Dabney family, the lights dimmed and a birthday cake with lit candles was brought in as the guests sang “Happy Birthday” to Clayton and his fellow angels.
Then the guests were asked to take the balloon centerpieces to the club’s upper terrace. There each balloon with the name of one of Clayton’s angels was released to the heavens.
As the sun shown with the balloons rising, Clayton and his pals were smiling down on the guests. It was a birthday celebration of the angels.