“Danny’s Tree” was dedicated during an emotional ceremony at Liberty School Friday afternoon.

The new tree is dedicated to Danny Host, a Tinley Park boy who died from brain cancer in February at age 7. His mother, Annette, is a reading specialist at Liberty and cried several times as three of her former students read tributes to Danny.

Jake Schab, Krissa Manolitsis and A.J. Svatos, who are now seventh-graders at Jerling Junior High School, helped raise more than $500 for the tree and special memorial plaque, which has the words “Danny’s Tree” on the top. They were fifth graders when Annette Host found out the news in October, 2009 that Danny was diagnosed with cancer.

Annette Host hugs three of her former students who helped raise more than $500 for "Danny's Tree." (Jeff Vorva/Tribune)

“Every day Jake, A.J. and I would pray he would get better,” Manolitsis said. “Now he’s in a better place. He was a very good and strong boy who will always be in our hearts.”

After the ceremony, Annette Host said she was touched by her former students’ gesture.

“They are amazing, these kids are very special to me,” she said. “I had a close bond with that class. Even through Danny’s sickness, they always stayed in touch with me, seeing how I was doing and how Danny was doing. It was a very tight bond.”

She said that throughout Danny Host’s ordeal, his spirit affected many people, including adults and high school students.
“He made people laugh, he brought smiles to people’s faces and despite battling cancer, he never complained,” Host said. “He was a special boy. My special angel.”