Cooper David O'Brien

Cooper David O'Brien, 14, of Suwanee, Georgia, passed away July 5th, 2014 at 1:35 am after a long and courageous battle with Clear Cell Sarcoma. Cooper was born February 21, 2000 in Suwanee, the son of Kevin David O'Brien, originally from Hammond, Wisconsin and Donna Underwood O'Brien, originally from Macon, Georgia. A lifelong resident of Suwanee, Cooper was to attend North Gwinnett High School this year as a rising 9th grader. An avid sports fan and terrific all around athlete, Cooper was recently a member of the North Gwinnett Middle School 8th grade basketball team, and played throughout his youth for the Gwinnett Basketball League (GBL), North Gwinnett Basketball Association (NGBA), I9 Sports, and Upward Sports youth leagues. Cooper was a passionate Georgia Tech, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks fan. He could rattle off statistics about teams and players no matter the sport, and was quick to give you that sly smile when he was right, which usually was the case. Cooper thoroughly enjoyed vacations and getaways to the beach with family and friends. He was beloved by so many people throughout the community, and he never met a stranger. Your life was changed for the better when you met Cooper. A caring and incredibly energetic and loving friend, Cooper left an indelible mark on everyone he touched. The way he lived his life was a testament to him as a person; emphasizing others, not his own accomplishments. Cooper will continue to inspire those who follow to have the strength and the will to accomplish their own unfulfilled dreams; that will be his legacy. Cooper is survived by his parents Kevin and Donna of Suwanee, and his 11 year old brother Parker. He also leaves his maternal grandmother and step-grandfather, Ramona and Jim Duckworth of Flat Rock, NC; and his paternal grandfather, David O'Brien of Blaine, Minnesota. He is also survived by his aunt and uncle Michael and Kimberley Maffei of Suwanee and Steve and Laura Underwood of Macon; cousins, Kyle Underwood, Wade and Crystal Leigh Bennett, Brandon and Brady Maffei, and Kaiden and Karson Underwood. Cooper was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather Eddie Underwood, paternal grandmother Jane O'Brien, and his maternal great-grandparents Watson and Estelle Underwood. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2014 at Noon; Shadowbrook Baptist Church of Suwanee with Pastor Bobby Linkous officiating. Interment will follow immediately afterwards at Level Creek United Methodist Cemetery in Suwanee. The family will receive friends at Flanigan Funeral Home in Buford, Georgia on Friday July 11, 2014 from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to the Cooper Fund (www.curecooper.com), which supports Miles2Give (www.miles2give.org) and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (www.fhcrc.org). Clear Cell Sarcoma is a rare and very aggressive soft tissue cancer unresponsive to chemo and other traditional cancer treatments. Because this type of sarcoma is so rare, there are very few studies or clinical trials currently available to treat this type of cancer.

Cooper David O'Brien

July 5, 2014