Chris Lawson /
dcphoto@ccnewspapers.net
A thousand paper cranes made by the Douglas County High
School anime club in memory of Brittany Haneghan hang in the
school’s library in Castle Rock. A remembrance ceremony for
Haneghan, who died from leukemia in February, was Sept.
19.
By By: Joan Gandy
Paper cranes hanging on the wall of the Douglas County High
School library above a photo remembering Brittany Haneghan create a
rainbow of reds, blues, silvers and greens.
The 1,000 squares of origami paper folded into delicate cranes
are draped in the shape of a wing. Separated from the others is a
primarily red crane with yellow-tipped wings, representing the
15-year-old Haneghan, now flying on her own.
“Every crane I folded, the more and more hope I had,” said
Lindsey Butler, a member of the school’s anime club. “Each one was
a wish I had that she’d get better.”
Haneghan was a freshman at Douglas County High School in 2004
and a member of the anime club when she was diagnosed with
leukemia. When other anime club members learned of Haneghan’s
illness and hospitalization, they embarked on a quest to fold 1,000
paper cranes to bring inspiration and health to the intended
recipient.
“We had people who didn’t even know Brittany who made cranes
because they wanted to do something,” said Barbara Wasko, anime
club sponsor.
The idea for folding the cranes to lift Haneghan’s spirits came
from Sara Oesleby, a member of the anime club. In a Japanese class
Oesleby was taking, she heard the story of Sadako Sasaki, a girl
who developed leukemia from radiation exposure after the atom bomb
was dropped on Hiroshima.
A Japanese legend tells that anyone who folds 1,000 paper cranes
would be granted one wish. Sasaki, 12, began folding cranes to ask
for her health back, but did not overcome her illness, dying Oct.
25, 1955.
“When you finish 1,000 cranes you get a wish,” Oesleby said.
“It’s supposed to promote prosperity and health in whoever gets the
cranes.”
Sasaki’s story and the Japanese legend inspired the anime club
to fold 1,000 cranes for Haneghan. However, like Sasaki, Haneghan
did not recover from her illness. The freshman died Feb. 16 after
the club had folded about 950 cranes.
Haneghan’s death did not stop the club from completing the
project. Instead of delivering the cranes to Haneghan, they are
hanging them in the school’s library until the date Haneghan would
have graduated in 2008 when the cranes will go to Haneghan’s
mother.
“We’re trying to say she did mean something to us,” Oesleby
said. “Even though she was gone, we were still able to do
something. This was a good way for all of us to show how we felt
about her.”
It takes 25 to 33 steps and two to five minutes to fold a crane
out of the square origami paper. Sharp creases and perfect
alignment of the corners is essential to making sure a crane is
correctly made.
The 20-30 members of the anime club took it upon themselves
during the past six months to make sure each of the 1,000 cranes
were folded and counted. The effort meant a lot to Haneghan’s
family, which was on hand to see the final project Sept.
19.
“It was the most awesome contribution to Brittany’s memory,”
said Kathleen Haneghan. “If you look at the cranes, that’s the
beauty that Brittany was – every color there ever was.”