Delco elementary students reunite with beloved teacher battling rare cancer

BOOTHWYN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Staff and students at Boothwyn Elementary School didn’t expect to see a beloved teacher who’s been battling a rare form of appendix cancer. But Scott Messick's appearance in school on Friday was only the first surprise of the day.

Students packed into the gym for a morning assembly, under the ruse that they were making a get-well video for Messick, a veteran physical education teacher. Messick had surgery in March and spent more than a month in a Baltimore, Maryland, hospital.

“We are going to send it to him so that he can feel special,” Principal Stacie Hall told the assembly.

Surprised students in the gym erupted into cheers when Messick walked in past a baseball-shaped banner that read "Happy Teacher Appreciation."

But there was a surprise for Messick as well. Boothwyn music teacher Holly Bragg had nominated him to be one of the Phillies All-Star Teachers to be honored Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillie Phanatic and team ambassador Mickey Morandini delivered the news that Messick would be saluted at Teacher Appreciation Night.

“I was told I was coming in to turn a computer in. So, definitely was shocked by this!” Messick told reporters.

"Just seeing the kids is absolutely amazing. I miss them so much. I've been to a lot of assemblies here. I can't think of one that was this loud!"

Messick described a difficult ordeal since his cancer was discovered: “The surgery I had, they called ‘the mother of all surgeries.’ And I can tell you I was not prepared.”

Messick's wife, Jackie, and children, Amelia and Blake, accompanied him to the surprise reunion at school. "My family's pushed me every day," Messick said. "Just the biggest thing to get through all of it is my family, my kids."

"Honestly, this is probably the longest I've stood in a while," Messick continued. "[The ceremony] just regenerates me, gives me some energy."

Jackie Messick's voice cracked with emotion as she described the support from the Boothwyn school community.

“Since the first day we found out, the school found out about his illness, instantly they supported us," she said.

"They were sending him gift cards, Grubhub, because they knew we were going to be at the hospital for over a month and living in Baltimore," she said. "One of the teachers got him a comfy chair because they knew he needed the support… the last few weeks before he was out. It's just unbelievable what they do for him. I can't put into words how thankful my family and I are. And we are diehard Phillies fans."