BELLAIRE — Local residents and community members said that Codey St. John was “an inspiration” and “an absolute warrior.”

After battling cancer for 18 years, St. John, a 24-year-old Bellaire resident, died at 12:24 a.m. Friday. Those who knew him remembered that valiant battle of nearly two decades and how he fought it.

St. John was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer that starts in developing nerve cells, when he was 6 years old. Treatments began almost immediately and were effective. It was believed he had beaten the disease, but it resurfaced several times since.

St. John’s mother, Amy St. John posted on Facebook about her son’s death.

“My beautiful son and my forever hero traded his sword in for a magnificent set of angel wings. I know God has a very special place prepared for him in heaven,” she said. “He truly was a beautiful soul and a brilliant young man, wise beyond his years.”

Amy St. John said that the cancer treatments caused St. John’s lungs to fail.

“He did not suffer,” she posted. “We kept him from that. The hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life was leaving that hospital without him.”

Over the past decade, the community has hosted many events and fundraisers to support him.

In 2014, Ayers Elementary in Martins Ferry raised just over $500 during September which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Also in 2014, the community honored St. John by making him the honorary captain of the Bellaire Big Reds football team at the homecoming football game.

The Bellaire High School athletic department presented Codey with a No. 12 jersey (symbolic of him being the 12th Man) and a Bellaire Big Reds hat, courtesy of the Bellaire Touchdown Club. Codey accepted the jersey graciously, but preferred to wear No. 88, the number worn by his brother, Logan.

The community hosted a “Light The Town Gold” event for St. John’s 15th birthday in Bellaire’s park. Political leaders, educators and fellow students spoke at the event with hundreds of supporters in attendance.

St. John was a member of the St. John Central Fighting Irish basketball team where he attended high school.

He has had several surgeries at New York City Hospital Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

“Codey was an absolute warrior and inspired many people during his long, 18-year fight with neuroblastoma. My heart goes out to his mother Amy and the rest of the family as I know this is a very tough time for them,” said Bill Schmitt Jr., a Bellaire resident who will start his term on village council on Jan. 1.

Orphy Klempa III, St. John’s cousin said that he “lost his best friend” and that St. John “lit up the room when he walked in.”

“There was never a moment that kid wasn’t smiling,” Klempa said.

Fellow Bellaire resident Amy Beth Campbell-McConn said the young man’s influence reached further than he could imagine.

“You have inspired so many people,” she said. “You touched the lives of people you didn’t even know. You were so strong. You were loved by so many.”

The family is asking for donations to pay for the funeral and expenses. According to a Facebook post from Amy St. John, Codey St. John’s life insurance expired when he turned 18.

“Thank you to everyone who has helped with paying for Codey’s services. …All the years of battling never permitted me to save for something like this and no one would give him another life insurance policy,” she posted.

St. John’s father Richard “Rick” St. John died in a ditch collapse in 2019. He became trapped when a roughly 10-foot-deep trench in which he was helping to place a sewer line collapsed and buried him.

Donations can be made online by going to TMCFunding.com and searching for “Codey St. John.” Links to donate through PayPal, Venmo and Cash App can be found on Amy St. John’s Facebook posts.

As of Tuesday afternoon, $2,278 has been raised by 31 people over the past three days.

The fundraiser will end on Jan. 20.

According to St. John’s obituary, visitation will be held from 2-8 p.m. Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the Bauknecht-Altmeyer Funeral Home located at 441 37th St., Bellaire. The service will follow at 1 p.m. Friday.

St. John will be buried at Holly Memorial Gardens following the service.