CONTRIBUTED PHOTO The life of Noah Ohrt will be honored during a fundraiser held Friday, Jan. 26 from 4:30 p.m. to midnight at Lincoln Amvet Hall in the town of Lincoln. Noah passed away on March 8, 2014, after a two year battle with ewing sarcoma. The fundraiser will consist of a silent auction, meal, and live entertainment.

GLADBROOK — This month, Noah Ohrt would have celebrated his 21st birthday, a day that would have been marked with the usual celebrations. Instead, his life and courageous battle with ewing sarcoma will be honored during a fundraiser held Friday, Jan. 26 from 4:30 p.m. to midnight at Lincoln Amvet Hall in the town of Lincoln.

“He’s a very special young man and so missed,” said his mother Kathy Ohrt.

Noah passed away on March 8, 2014, after battling the disease for two years.

The event is being coordinated by his family, and the family of his girlfriend, Kyleah Dugan.

“Kyleah’s father got the Dallas Moore Band to perform (at 8:30 p.m.), the silent auction will start at 4:30 p.m., and the meal at 6:30 p.m.,” Kathy said.

The silent auction will offer donated items, including but not limited to: Newton Speedway race tickets, gift baskets, food, clothing, knitted items, hardware and more.

Kathy said the people of Gladbrook have been a supportive presence throughout the family’s journey and loss. Gladbrook-Reinbeck athletic teams also honored Noah by wearing yellow sweatbands with PFN (Play for Noah) and yellow shoelaces. His football team — the Rebels — of what would have been his senior year in high school, rang a bell at every home game and after a win, in his memory.

“When the community found out about Noah, they did so many fundraisers when he was sick. People you don’t even know helping. Living in a smaller town, you definitely see that,” Kathy said.

Ewing sarcoma is a malignant small, round, blue cell tumor that grows in the bones or in the soft tissue, usually in the legs, pelvis, ribs, arms or spine. While it is the second most common type of bone cancer in children, only about 200 children and young adults are found to have the disease each year in the United States.

“People say it’s rare, but we belong to support group sites and we see it so much,” Kathy said.

The funds raised from the event will be given to several entities, including to the family of Keegan Dobbs, who is fighting wilms tumor cancer; and the Sarcoma Alliance.

“We want to bring awareness to people. They’re still using years old adult chemo [treatments] on these kids, and we need to find new options,” Kathy said.

Noah enjoyed fishing, kayaking, dirt biking, snowmobiling, playing football, and having his friends over for a campfire. In addition to his parents and girlfriend, he also leaves behind sister Kayla, and brother Zach, and their families.

“Our lives will never be the same, our hearts are broken. But Noah showed us when you die, it does not mean you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live and in the manner in which you live. Noah beat cancer by his actions, his words of wisdom, in which he gained as he grew up so fast so young. Noah continues to be an inspiration to us all,” the family said in a joint statement.

Advanced tickets are $15 per person, with children 12 and under costing $10. Tickets may be purchased at the door for $20. Tickets are available at Hometown Foods in Gladbrook, and Trunck’s Country Food in Reinbeck, and by getting in touch with his parents, Ed and Kathy Ohrt at 641-751-3135, or Kyleah Dugan at 319-464-6224. The Lincoln Savings Bank is accepting donations under “Noah’s Love.”

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Contact Sara Jordan-Heintz at 641-753-6611 or sjordan@timesrepublican.com