As many children cringe at the thought of going to school, one Windsor boy has been counting down the days.
320 students stood outside of Our Lady of Perpetual Help school Monday morning, holding signs to welcome back 9-year-old Huntre Allard who is fighting brain cancer.
He has been out of school for over a year and was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer on July 27, 2018.
Huntre has had two surgeries but has been cleared by doctors to return to school.
He will be going to school every other day for a few hours in the morning.
"I was excited and I was making a calendar when I was going back to school," he says.
When asked what he was excited about, he replied, 'Everything, especially seeing his friends and doing math."
Some of his classmates gave him handmade cards to ease him back to class.
9-year-old Huntre Allard was welcomed with some handmade cards from his classmates. February 11, 2019 (Photo by AM800's Teresinha Medeiros)
His mom Lisa Aylesworth says the warm welcome was overwhelming.
"It was so touching, I couldn't stop crying, it was very warming to see how he is so loved."
She calls her son a miracle saying, 'Prayers go a long way and we still need them because he is not cured yet."
When doctors gave him the green light to return to school, Aylesworth admits she was nervous and scared but she relented because her son wanted to go back to school.
9 year old Huntre Allard received a great big warm welcome back to school at Our Lady of Perpetual Help after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. @AM800News #cklw pic.twitter.com/OpBL7P30vW
— Teresinha Medeiros (@tmedeiros800) February 11, 2019
Huntre's Grade 4 teacher Carla Aquino says the school couldn't wait to have their classmate back.
"Our class has been super super excited," she says. "They were helpful in making the banner, they have been making cards for him, we made him a Christmas gift, we have talked to him on Facetime, so they are super super excited for him to come back."
Huntre has chemotherapy every 42 days.