Acushnet Elementary School dedicates new “Buddy Bench” in memory of deceased 8-year-old

ACUSHNET — Superintendent Dr. Paula Bailey and Principal Leah Chesney have announced that Acushnet Elementary School dedicated the school’s new “Buddy Bench” in memory of Porter Guillemette.

Porter, an Acushnet student, passed away in 2023 at age 8 while undergoing treatment for an aggressive brain tumor known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.

Donated by the PTO, the “Buddy Bench” is a place where students can sit during recess and be joined by classmates so they are not alone.

Students, teachers, administrators and the family of Porter gathered on what would have been his 10th-birthday to honor his memory and unveil the new Buddy Bench. The students in attendance for the dedication were Porter’s classmates who are now in fourth grade.

The Buddy Bench features a plaque that states “In Memory of Porter Guillemette,” with a quote from the American essayist, poet, philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” 

Superintendent Dr. Bailey called the dedication a “profoundly meaningful moment,” filled with love, remembrance and hope. Superintendent Dr. Bailey called the Buddy Bench a “living symbol” of Porter’s legacy.

“Porter was a bright light at Acushnet Elementary. He was kind, funny, endlessly curious, and imaginative,” said Superintendent Dr. Bailey. “He had a love for Legos, a sharp mind for math, and the soul of an old friend. He loved being at school — not just for learning, but to be with his classmates, his buddies.”

Superintendent Dr. Bailey thanked Porter’s parents, Taylor and Danielle Guillemette, for sharing their son with the Acushnet Elementary School community and for taking part in the dedication ceremony.

“Thank you for allowing our school to be part of Porter’s journey,” Superintendent Dr. Bailey said. “Your strength and grace continue to inspire us. Your son will always be part of the heart and soul of Acushnet Elementary.”

“So today,” she said, “on what would have been Porter’s 10th birthday, we honor his life not with candles or presents, but with something far more lasting — with connection, with compassion, and with the promise that his legacy of friendship lives on. Porter G Forever.”