LOUISVILLE, Ky. — They stepped off the bus layered in red, from t-shirts to hoodies and winter hats down to festive red headbands. Students wore the color proudly, and with purpose, for this was no ordinary Friday at Hite Elementary School.
Bridgett Buckner has taught second grade at the Jefferson County school for the last four years. She too, came to class wearing red, with her husband, Josh at her side. They recently lost their 4-year-old son, Colt, on October 6.
"Walking through the doors my first day back, it was tough. I didn't want to come back, because I have a lot of memories of him here," Bridgett said.
Since losing her son, her students and everyone inside Hite have made it clear - she's not in this alone.
"This was a time when no one knew what to do," Dr. Sheri Barnett, Hite's principal, said. "When to reach out, what do you say, how do you help? And there's no right answer."
But on Dec. 9, everyone at the school wore red for Colt.
"Red was Colt's favorite color. Everything he colored, was red. No matter what it was," Bridget told her class.
It's been two agonizing months without him. It started with a fever, followed by stomach pains and multiple trips to the pediatrician. First believed to be a viral infection, then possibly Appendicitis.
"We were told from the beginning, 'it's just a virus. It'll pass.' It can be just a virus that will pass, but it can also be so much more than that," Bridgett said.
It took a full week before doctors diagnosed Colt with Adenovirus, a common virus with mild cold- or flu-like symptoms. But in Colt's case, too much time had passed, and the illness had damaged his liver.
"They stat-flighted him to Cincinnati Children's," Bridgett said. "I'm forever grateful for those doctors, because they did everything they could."
He was immediately put on antiviral medications, but Bridgett said, by that point, it was too late.
"My advice to parents would be to know your children better than any doctor knows your child. Don't be afraid to get a second opinion and advocate for your child the best you can," Josh said. "We need to be able to prevent this from happening to another kid and another family."
Friday, as the Buckners navigate a world without their son and all the what-ifs, their Hite family is surrounding them with love.
"I can't say enough thanks to Principal Barnett for easing Bridgett back into school during such a hard time," Josh said.
Both Barnett and the school's counselor spent the last few weeks visiting with every class, reminding students of ways they can be kind to anyone in a tough position, and how to react to a teacher if they see her crying.
"This group of people, we share this moment with her and we're going to be here continuously and unconditionally," Principal Barnett said.
And on top of the sea of red...a toy drive in Colt's honor.
Friday's classes ended on a high note with the results of a toy drive in Colt's honor. More than 730 gifts will soon head to kids spending the holidays at Cincinnati Children's.
"I am blown away by how many toys kids are bringing in," Bridgett said.
Hite's principal said the school's also taken this opportunity to work with JCPS on ways to better the district's policies and protocols for staff bereavement.
"Colt was always a happy, smiling, positive kid. We're trying to bring that to some children who might not have that in tough times," Josh said.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.