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A new school in Riverside South will honour the memory of Jonathan Pitre, a brave and joyful teenager who inspired millions with his resolute fight against a deadly skin disease.

Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) trustee Chad Mariage announced the name of the new school late Tuesday on Twitter.

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“The new CECCE school in Riverside South has a new name. Long live Jonathan Pitre Catholic Elementary School,” he said.

Pitre’s mother, Tina Boileau, thanked the board for honouring her son, who died in a Minnesota hospital in April 2018. He was 17.

“What a great tribute to our Jonny Boy,” Boileau Tweeted in French. “Jonathan is an example that a young person can make a difference and change the world.”

The new Riverside South elementary school is expected to open its doors in September 2020.

In an interview, Boileau said her son would be humbled by the honour. “He loved attending school, learning, and being around classmates,” she said. “It’s one of the things that really affected him the most when he couldn’t go to school when he wasn’t feeling good. When we were in Minnesota and he started to feel better, aside from reading, he wanted to start school again. He had started doing an online course so he could catch up.”