GREAT FALLS — On Friday afternoon, there were only two words you would hear up and down Central Avenue: “Go Bison!” - as the Great Falls High School homecoming parade took over the streets of downtown Great Falls.
Riding along in the parade was Isabelle Hodges. At three years old, Hodges is a little young to be a Bison herself, but her father Mike is a science teacher at the school.
“Isabelle Hodges, my daughter, three years old, is the Grand Marshal of the parade this year,” Mike said.
Isabelle was diagnosed with A-cell Leukemia in March of 2023. When the Bison community heard about Isabelle, they decided to step up and help out.
“So Hodges has always been always been a great member of our, bison family,” said Billy Zaremski, the Student Body Vice President GFHS. “When we heard of the issue that came about, we felt it was a great fundraiser to fund and support his family.”
The school community helped fund her treatment plan that will last until 2025.
“It's so cool to see how the Bison family just supports each other and how we can find when people need help, and just support them through the way,” Zaremski said.
For the Hodges family, they are seeing what it means to be a Bison family in the truest form.
“You know, when people take time out of their day to do something like that, it just, I don't know, it just kind of stops in your tracks,” Mike Hodges said.
But, Isabelle is a fighter, and you’d never even know she was sick if you met her.
“She's bouncing right up from it,” Mike Hodges said regarding Isabelle after surgery. “Two hours later, she's playing. No complaining. Just enjoying life as a three-year-old,”
Isabelle is a special individual. A living lesson to those around her.
“I hate to be a cliche, but it's been inspiring,” Mike Hodges said.
Isabelle spent the parade smiling and waving to the people of Great Falls atop a boat being towed along Central Avenue.
Mike Hodges wants to thank Great Falls High, his family, the Great Falls community, Great Falls Clinic and Cancer Center, Benefis, and Logan Children’s Hospital and the Sunshine Factory for all the help surrounding Isabelle and her treatment.
