Hulkster's 'fight is over'
By Chris Strunk   ARK VALLEY NEWS - VALLEY CENTER, KS
April 25, 2019

"A Valley Center elementary school student who has battled cancer nearly his entire young life and had became the focus of community outreach and support for at least the past five years died April 18.  Elliott Ortega, a student at Wheatland Elementary, who was lovingly nicknamed the Hulkster, partly after his favorite superhero but mostly for his courageous spirit, was 8 years old.  "The fight is over," Elliott's family announced on Facebook.  He is the son of Ray and Jessica Ortega.  "His sole job was to be strong," Ray Ortega said. "That's all he ever knew to be was strong. He loved to hang out and be around friends. He loved to go to school. He enjoyed it. Class was not his favorite, but if he could be around his bros (that's what he called them), he was happy. He wanted to be at school."  Over the past seven years, Elliott had three different forms of cancer, a liver transplant and two bone marrow transplants...

A benefit run called The Hulk Dash is scheduled for May 18 at the Valley Center Middle School, 800 N. Meridian, Valley Center.  Organizers confirmed that the event will go on as scheduled.

Ray Ortega said a celebration of life service is planned for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, May 18 at First United Methodist Church in Valley Center. The service will be an informal gathering to remember Elliott, play videos of him and listen to some of his favorite songs.  "He just wanted to have get-togethers," Ray Ortega said. "That's what we're going to do."

read more of Elliott's life story at

http://www.arkvalleynews.com/web/isite.dll?1556227710457~ortega

Elliott is survived by his parents, Raymond & Jessica Ortega and sister Lilee Ortega, all of the home; grandparents, Stacey & Doug Budd, Cindy Bello, Joe Ortega and Mark Patrick; aunts, Kendra Budd, Kristie Cyr, Brenda McRae and Brittany Ortega; uncles Brad Budd and Joe Ortega; cousins, Treyson Ortega, Jersey Ortega, Kruse Andrade, Diego Andrade, Dash Andrade, Jayce Cyr, Riley Cyr, TJ Dean and Kyle Dean; many other relatives and friends.