An Okotoks family is putting their lives on hold after their son's brain tumour returned.
In 2022, Kolton Byerley underwent surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumour. Just over a year later, his parents, Rae-Lynne and Sean, who own Yooneek Books in Okotoks, closed the store unexpectedly before posting an update on social media the morning of August 5.
"Now that we’ve had a chance to process and have some incredibly difficult conversations with each other, family and close friends, we will fill you in," the statement from Sean Byerley reads.
"Thursday afternoon, we received the worst call a person could ever receive. The results of Kolton’s MRI earlier in the week showed that the cancer is back and it is surrounding his brain and moved to his spinal column. It is terminal, and with some more treatment he has a couple of months left to maybe a year. We are absolutely gutted."
The post by his dad Sean indicated they would be prioritizing time with Kolton over anything else, including their shop, even though it remains their sole income source since opening last year.
"Going forward, we can think of nothing but spending every moment with him doing anything and everything he’d like to do. Yesterday was a beach day and some time with his best friend. Today we might play some disc golf and order KFC," Sean's statement reads.
Unfortunately, the reality of the situation means they still rely on the store for income, however they have made their priorities clear.
"The store is the last thing on our minds, and we’re really sorry. Custom orders are going to be late, new arrivals likely won’t come in on time," Sean said in the statement.
"With that said, the store is also our income and we need to pay our bills. We need to press forward. We will open up again on Tuesday with my mom filling in. I will try to make orders when I can, but it is no longer going to consume my life, nor even a priority."
The statement finishes by saying, "As time goes on and we learn more, we will see what happens. As for now, enjoy life, hug your kids, tell them you love them."
A GoFundMe page previously set up during Kolton's initial treatment by relatives Carlee Byerley and Darion Byerley has been renewed, in hopes that funds may allow the family to have as much time as possible together.
Anyone interested in donating or learning more can visit the page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-byerley-family.
The full statement, posted to the Yooneek Books Facebook page:
