On September 1, 2007, Toree Lee Poder, 15, stood from her wheelchair to walk through the gates of heaven to be with her Great-Grandma Weasel once again.

Toree, in spite of her lifetime of chronic illnesses, always had a smile for everyone. Toree has touched every person she has ever met. Toree was my little social butterfly, and her grandma and aunt's weekend buddy. She loved music, singing, her computer and talking on the phone. For those of you who knew Toree, you understood how she just had that way about her, the "Toree Way." I have been very privileged and proud to have such a fun-loving, goofy, brave and most of all, beautiful daughter.

Toree was born September 23, 1991. Welcoming her into heaven are her great-grandparents, Tony and Hazel Perri and Carol Lorey and grandpa Louis "Buddy" Poder. She is survived by her mom and step-dad, Amy Poder and Bruce Boland; little brother, Brennan Poder; grandma, Toni M. Perri; aunt, Lisa Perri; great aunts and uncles, Joe and JoAnn Moran, Jerry and Sandra "Ninni" Green; loving cousins, Tiffani and Dan Fultz, Kristine, Kathy, Reyna and Joseph Moran, and Dick Doria; close friends and neighbors, the Bodosi and Mosher families and Kevin Fongheiser; father, Troy Poder; grandmother, Peg Fost; aunts and uncles, Travis Krieger, Lisa and Rick, and Brian and Carrie Poder.

To everyone at Akron Children's Hospital, thank you for caring for Toree as if she was your own. Special thanks to Dr. Sarah Friebert for sharing with Toree her last can of Coca-Cola. To everyone at Barrett, Reidinger and North High School, and her many bus drivers thank you.

Since Toree loved wearing her jeans, T's and flip flops, please come in yours!

A celebration of Toree's life will be held Wednesday from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Anthony Funeral Home Kucko-Anthony-Kertesz Chapel, 95 W. Waterloo Rd., and conclude with a memorial service on Thursday at 11 a.m. Donations may be made to Akron Children's Hospital Palliative Care Center or the Hematology and Oncology Department. (Anthony Funeral Home Kucko-Anthony-Kertesz Chapel, 330-724-1281, www.kakfh.com)