Students at Vivian Fowler Elementary School were surprised on Thursday, October 5 with a visit from someone they had never met who wanted to bring them a special gift. Sue Barker of Mount Vernon stopped in to see the students and brought them a present, a book titled The Boar Named Bob. The author, Cole Barker, wrote the book and created the illustrations when he was just ten years old. The story wasn’t ever meant to be published. In fact, it was a class assignment inspired by Cole’s very first hog hunt.

Cole graduated from Mount Vernon ISD in 2000, went to Baylor University, graduating in 2005, then moved to Colorado where he ultimately began an excavation business. Tragically, he passed away in 2017 as a result of a skiing accident. It was then that The Boar Named Bob began a second life.

When Cole’s teacher, Jeanne Lawrence, learned of his passing, she reached out to his mother and brought her The Boar Named Bob which she had kept tucked away for all those years. Cole’s mother, Sue, was inspired to help keep his memory alive. She reached out to a publisher to share his story and The Boar Named Bob was born. At the same time, classmates from the Mount Vernon Class of 2000 came together to create the Cole Barker Memorial Scholarship Fund.

“Losing our son was nothing short of devastating but the love and support from Cole’s family and friends has helped lessen the heartache we face each day without him,” said Sue Barker. “Thanks to incredible teachers, like Ms. Lawrence, who can see potential, and friends who band together, Cole’s book and his memory will touch more lives than we ever thought possible.”

MPISD purchased 100 copies of the book and they are now available in classrooms and the library at Fowler Elementary to be checked out by students.

Photos:

Photo 1 – Fowler students receive copies of The Boar Named Bob

(Seated) Lian Arce

(L to R) Willow Culpepper, Bradley Reynolds, Osiel Salazar, Diva Desai, Graceland Jones, Giovani Wilder

(Back L to R) Jana Bowers, Sue Barker, Fowler Counselor Debra Williamson

Photo 2 – Barker (left) reads with Fowler kindergartener, Osiel Salazar

Photo 3 – Barker (left) tells the story to Fowler 2nd grader, Willow Culpepper

Photo 4 – Fowler Counselor, Debra Williamson, and 1st grader, Geovani Wilder, look over the book together