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Asked to write the three words that best describe 10-year-old Tylie Tobin, her mom instead wrote 600.
First, a few adjectives: feisty, loving, strong, nurturing, gracious, confident and slightly bossy.
Then, Fallon Tobin, of Chehalis, in a recent Facebook post, shared with family and friends that her daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of cancerous tumor on her brain stem.
Despite having only mild symptoms, Tylie’s parents brought her in for MRI imaging. She was diagnosed on Sept. 8. Shortly after, Tylie started five days of radiation therapy per week for six weeks straight.
Fallon and her husband Roger Tobin have four daughters, 14-year-old twins Tanner and Taylor, 12-year-old Tinsley, and Tylie. Each of the family members are active in the community, playing in and coaching various sports teams, said Samantha Johnson, a lifelong friend of Fallon, whose 11-year-old daughter, Tatum, is best friends with Tylie.
Despite spending five days of the week visiting Seattle, Tylie, a student at Orin Smith Elementary, is still playing soccer and spending time with friends. Asked about Tylie and her family’s outlook, Johnson said, “They have their faith and they know God is going to heal her. So, they have put it all in his hands.”
Johnson, an event coordinator at the nonprofit Raise for Rowyn, is one of several locals stepping up to rally support and funds for the Chehalis family.
“We want to help the Tobin family,” Johnson said. “All of their finances are changing and we want to take that burden off of them so they can focus solely on Tylie.”
Johnson is organizing a benefit silent auction and dinner for Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. at the Old Mill Farm, an event venue at 318 Kruger Road, Onalaska. Attendees must be 21 or older. Tickets to the event cost $35 for barbecue and access to an open bar, and about 80 silent auction items have already been donated, Johnson said, including a trip to Tucson, Arizona, accommodations for a stay in Packwood, a suite at a Trailblazers game, Washington State University Cougar football helmets and jerseys, and more.
Guests are welcome regardless of whether they have a connection to the Tobin family, Johnson said.
Any and all donations are encouraged and appreciated, she said, and can be dropped off at Lifetime Granite, 2056 Jackson Highway, Chehalis. In-kind donation forms are available at Lifetime Granite, The Chronicle or by emailing tylietough@gmail.com.
“They’re just going through something that is unimaginable and they need our support, now more than ever,” Johnson said. “I just hope everyone can rally with them.”
Business owners in the Twin Cities are already following suit. Sherri Gallagher, owner of Centralia hobbies shop RC360, is hosting a benefit raffle for Tylie. Tickets are $10 each for a TRAXXAS TRX-4 High Trail Edition Chevy K10 crawler, a high-quality remote controlled truck that has a retail value of $550, Gallagher said.
“My hope was to get her story out so maybe more businesses could donate,” Gallagher said, adding she would love for Lewis County “to come together as a community to help this little girl. … There is just such a long road ahead.”
There is no end date for Gallagher’s raffle yet, as she intends to host it as long as is most beneficial for the family. After the recent death of a Centralia man in a motorcycle accident, RC360 hosted a similar raffle. The prize winner ultimately donated the vehicle to the man’s son, Gallagher said. Tickets can be purchased in person or by calling 360-523-0922. The only caveat, she said, is that the winner must be able to pick up the truck in person.
Salon Logan, a beauty salon at 1702 S. Gold St., Centralia, is also selling $10 bracelets that say “#TylieTough” and 100% of the proceeds will go to the Tobin family.
Donations to the family can be made at Umpqua Bank under the name “Tylie Tobin,” whereby every penny will go to the family, Johnson said. People are also encouraged to follow along the family’s journey at https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/fallontobin, where the family shares photos and updates about the cancer treatments.
