The infamous "Green Drakkoman"

May 13, 2010 - Think back to your childhood for a moment.

Did you have an imaginary friend? Did you create a character in your mind that could seemingly do anything? Someone who could help you save the world from the evil-doers? Some of us had that individual in our lives and they gave us a sense of comfort. They made us feel like we could conquer any foe.

Ben Stowell created a superhero too, but his was different. His superhero had to fight life’s toughest battle – cancer.

Ben was diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in 2006. Upon diagnosis, he created a superhero named the Green Drakkoman to help him fight this terrible disease. The following is an excerpt from Ben’s website.

The Green Drakkoman has many arch enemies. One of those arch enemies is the Evil Alien. It seems that the Evil Alien has found the Green Drakkoman’s friend Benjamin and is hiding in his arm. It is the Evil Alien that is making him sick. The doctors are working with the Green Drakkoman to defeat the Evil Alien. They are using a strong weapon called chemotherapy to weaken the Evil Alien so the Green Drakkoman can defeat him. After the Evil Alien is defeated by the Green Drakkoman they will remove him and use more chemotherapy to make sure the Evil Alien does not return. Benjamin is not worried because he knows that the Green Drakkoman can defeat the Evil Alien and he will be well again.

Ben and the Green Drakkoman fought valiantly for nearly four years before the fight became too much. Ben passed away on October 12, 2009.

Although Ben has left us, the Green Drakkoman lives on and the Blue Creek Elementary fifth and sixth grade orchestra is helping make sure that it gets its day in the sun.

The Blue Creek fifth and sixth grade orchestra will debut “The Green Drakkoman”, an original composition by Alan Danahy of Niskayuna, at their spring concert on May 25.

North Colonie music director Deborah Keough had one specific request of Danahy when he was composing this piece: it had to feature a solo cellist. Ben played cello in fourth grade at Blue Creek. The solo will be performed by professional cellist, Brian Mooney, a music teacher at Niskayuna High School.

This piece is not easy, in fact it is quite challenging for fifth and sixth graders.

“They are working extremely hard at learning the piece, as it is pretty difficult for elementary strings,” Blue Creek orchestra teacher Laura Bresnahan said. “I know that they are all very excited about coming together and playing a piece to honor Ben.”

“This tribute is an extremely fitting one for the remarkable Stowell family,” Superintendent Randy Ehrenberg said. “We have all benefitted greatly from Ben, his brother, his mother and father having blessed our lives and school community. They have taught us all about love and courage in the face of tremendous adversity. We care about them deeply and are looking forward to hearing this piece performed.”