Spencer Devere Hansen Strong

Spencer was born on a cold day in Dallas in December 2013 to Alison Hansen and Michael Strong. Diagnosed with Costello Syndrome, a rare disorder that made him medically fragile at times, he turned out to be the cutest, funniest little guy. He was full of personality and so brave, with an abundant shock of curly blonde hair and deep blue-green eyes.

Over the years, his parents assembled a team of home health nurses, doctors, educators, therapists, and night nannies—including his cousins Reagan and Grayson Middleton, other cousins, aunts, and so many more who helped. His nurse, Edith Achilike, was with him for years, instilling in him a love of the Roman Catholic Church’s liturgy and music, and encouraging him to eat various foods. Spencer’s care was never easy, as his health needs changed frequently. His medical record included surviving chemotherapy and cancer, two heart surgeries, orthopedic treatment for his legs, and seizure medication.

Spencer lived up to his last name, Strong, as he was a true superhero. He was an angel walking among us, and there were so many others surrounding him. He had the coolest dance moves, loved music, and adored animals, especially cats and puppies. He also played tricks on everyone to draw a laugh—a sense of humor he shared with his father. Spencer was a ray of sunshine, an enormous bright light despite his many unwelcome days in hospitals.

He will be missed by his cat brother Jack and cat sister Georgia, his cousin “sharecat” Ghost, as well as numerous relatives’ pets. In fact, he would often FaceTime friends and relatives to see their cat, dog, or other nearby animal, a.k.a. “Call a Cat, Dial a Dog.” If you happened to be the lucky recipient of his call, you’d better have an entertaining fur creature near the phone for him. Spencer was also a prolific texter of emojis, especially when he got ahold of his mother’s phone, which was often.

Every summer, Alison made sure Spencer had a full camp schedule, attending the Dallas Arboretum, Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the Dallas Museum of Art, and various music camps. He also took trips to Spain and Disney World, a Caribbean cruise, and trips to Colorado and Florida for the Costello Syndrome Family Network Conferences. He traveled to San Antonio and throughout Texas to visit friends and relatives. Spencer attended Beverly Elementary School and Robinson Middle School in the Plano Independent School District.

Owing to his charming nature, Spencer made friends wherever he went and had his own personal fan club—a group of girls at elementary school. He would kiss and hug his family and loved spending time with all his relatives, including his cousins Nils, Nora, Elliott, Sadie, and Maggie, who lived nearby and often came over for holiday celebrations or went to the movies, the Dallas Zoo, the Arboretum, or even Central Market and Costco.

His mother always said he was “wired for sound” because he loved all kinds of music and always brought the right dance moves and rhythm for each song. His musical tastes spanned Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars, Panic! at the Disco, Michael Jackson, and AC/DC. The song “Islands in the Stream” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers was a particular favorite.

He also loved watching cat videos or whatever crazy thing he found on YouTube, including a unique appreciation for AI slop when applied to cats. He enjoyed trying snacks like pudding, guacamole, and potato chips with “ha,” which everyone else calls soy sauce. He was proud to show off his eating abilities to anyone who would watch. Spencer frequently ate chicken nuggets and fries with his cousins and once stole his teacher’s spaghetti to try a few bites. He relied on his staff and could be a touch bossy, saying things like, “Mama, clean,” when he pitched food on the floor, but it was endearing.

Alison and Mike also earned their honorary M.D.s over the years. They dealt with various doctors, nurses, specialists, therapists, and layers of healthcare administration, often catching crucial miscommunications. They quickly learned the specific—and numerous—challenges related to Costello Syndrome and medical terminology, and they managed to wrangle the right advocates to help in challenging situations.

Spencer will always be remembered for the joy and light he brought to everyone’s lives. We’ll always imagine him asking for a cat by name—and he knew all their names—stealing someone’s chair the moment they walked away and laughing, dancing up a storm, twerking, donning funny hats and accessories, or laughing at crude noises.

Spencer was the best grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend. The world is just a lot less fun now because he was truly unique and full of joy. Spencer’s memory will live on in the hearts of all those who loved him.

Spencer was preceded in death by his grandmothers, Linda Strong and Sheila Hansen; his grandfather, Harlan Strong; and two uncles, David Strong and Jon Strong. He is survived by his parents, Mike and Alison; grandfather, Alton (Al) Hansen, Jr.; aunts, Wendi Strong, Wendy Hansen Middleton (Kevin), Holly Hansen-Thomas (William), Brooke Hansen (Roeland Nieuwenhuis), Claire Hansen (Chris Ennis), and Darcy Hansen Bachman (Justin); and cousins, Grayson Middleton, Reagan Middleton (Anitza Quintero), Nathan Middleton (Sarah), Jacob Middleton (Jennifer), Sadie Hansen-Thomas, Maggie Hansen-Thomas, Nils Bachman, Nora Bachman, Elliott Bachman, Gustav Nieuwenhuis, Arthur Nieuwenhuis, Séamus Ennis, Taylor Strong, Ian Strong (Paige), Colin Strong, and Duncan Strong (Zoie).

Services for Spencer will be Friday, September 4, with visitation at 3:00 p.m. and the Celebration of Life at 4:00 p.m. at the Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, 7990 President George Bush Turnpike, Dallas, Texas 75252. Donations to the Costello Syndrome Family Network would be greatly appreciated.