- May 5, 2024
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Tyler Irigoyen boasts of a 30-13 record this season. Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Irigoyen painted this picture for his sister, Essie Bass, after hearing that she was diagnosed with cancer. Photo courtesy by Tyler Irigoyen
Irigoyen battled with Seabreeze' s Braden Buswell earlier in the season. File photo
Essie Bass
In just his second year wrestling, Tyler Irigoyen is headed to the region tournament with 11 other Bulldogs. The Flagler Palm Coast sophomore has battled 43 opponents this season, but none of them compare to his sister, Essie Bass’s, never-ending battle with her opponent — cancer.
Irigoyen took up wrestling to stay conditioned for football season. Training under head coach Tom Bartolotta, he’s come to love the man-to-man duals. Competing in such a tough, physical sport, Irigoyen never imagined he would often draw inspiration and look up to the little sister who looks up to him.
“I have to watch her fight her opponent daily,” he said, “and her fight will always be much bigger than my ‘fights.’”
Essie, 12, was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, a rare blood-cell cancer that begins in the bone barrow, usually found in adults ages 35-64, nearly a year ago to date. Upon hearing the news, Irigoyen, shocked and saddened, went home and drew a picture (shown above) of Essie under the tree.
“The little girl symbolizes Essie, and the tree represents her hope,” he said. “The leaves falling off represent the bad memories she's had, and the new leaves coming in are the new memories she is going to have. Also, the orange symbolizes the type of cancer she has.”
Upon seeing Tyler’s work, his mother, Shannon Gutierrez, was amazed her 14-year-old son — who’s not a typical drawer —
immediately thought to do that for his sister.
“My heart just melted,” she said. “He just always looks on the bright side of things. It's like the bus accident; he just took charge.
Tyler the hero
Two years ago, then Buddy Taylor Middle School student Irigoyen was presented with the Shining Award by Superintendent Jacob Oliva for his courage, when he led students off the bus and played a significant role to respond after the fatal crash on Jan. 20, 2015.
Sometimes, moments like those allow Irigoyen to reminisce about the years he went about as a chubby, immature and annoying kid who was liked very little. Whether watching his mother struggle as a single mom with six children, or supporting Essie in her battle with cancer or overcoming everyone who doubted that he could play football, Irigoyen has shaped into mature, caring young man who has made his mother, coach and siblings proud.
He, along with 11 other wrestlers, will compete in the Region 1-3A Wrestling Meet Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24 and 25, at FPC.
