School named after Jonathan Pitre to open this fall
'Butterfly child' raised money, awareness for rare disease until death in 2018
Ottawa's French Catholic school board will name a new elementary school in Riverside South after Jonathan Pitre, the "butterfly child" who worked tirelessly to raise awareness of his rare disease.
The Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est approved a plan Tuesday night to call the school École élémentaire catholique Jonathan-Pitre.
Pitre, from Russell, Ont., died at age 17 in April 2018 as he sought treatment in Minnesota for a rare skin condition called epidermolysis bullosa (EB).
Pitre's mother, Tina Boileau, welcomed the news in an interview on All In A Day Wednesday.
"All the kids, the youth and even the community, parents, all knew Jonathan in a way or another and all connected with him. I think this is going to be a nice way for the community to just look at his name and remember him for all the good that he brought."
EB left Pitre's skin delicate and often covered in painful blisters. Children with the illness are often called "butterfly children" because their skin is so fragile, like a butterfly's wings.
The school for more than 400 students is being built at the intersection of Ralph Hennessy Avenue and Mount Nebo Way, south of Earl Armstrong Road.
"I can't wait to go see that school. I can't wait to go and visit it. I mean, Jonathan loved to go to school," Boileau said.
It's expected to open this fall.
