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Photos: Balloon Release Honors CTC Academy Student's Sudden Death

Families gathered at the Hoover Elementary School Saturday morning in Bergenfield to honor a 9-year-old boy with special needs who died suddenly this week.

Jojo Birney of Bogota, 9.

Jojo Birney of Bogota, 9.

Photo Credit: Birney Family/Sugihono Budiman
The Lou Harris Challenger team honored Jojo with a balloon release Saturday morning in Bergenfield.

The Lou Harris Challenger team honored Jojo with a balloon release Saturday morning in Bergenfield.

Photo Credit: Sugihono Budiman
Families and friends shared memories of Jojo before setting the green and white balloons free.

Families and friends shared memories of Jojo before setting the green and white balloons free.

Photo Credit: Sugihono Budiman
The group gathered during soccer practice to honor Jojo.

The group gathered during soccer practice to honor Jojo.

Photo Credit: Sugihono Budiman
Green balloons were for his Irish heritage and white because of his new angel wings.

Green balloons were for his Irish heritage and white because of his new angel wings.

Photo Credit: Sugihono Budiman
Irina Cytowicz Tesoriero, second from left, remembered Jojo as a "special little boy with an amazing spirit."

Irina Cytowicz Tesoriero, second from left, remembered Jojo as a "special little boy with an amazing spirit."

Photo Credit: Sugihono Budiman

Joseph "Jojo" Birney -- who was a beloved member of the Bergenfield Lou Harris Challenger group -- passed away on Oct. 16.

He was an active participant with the Challenger program, an extracurricular program for youth with special needs. He was also a student at Oakland's CTC Academy.

Green and white balloons were released in his memory -- green for his Irish heritage and white because of his new angel wings.

"He was a special little boy with an amazing spirit that just melted your soul," co-director Irina Cytowicz Tesoriero. "I will forever miss him."

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