BRIDGEPORT — From the first moment Chelsea Cohen heard that she had cancer, she started fighting it. And she never stopped.

Cohen, once a standout player on the Norwalk High School girls' soccer team, fought the sarcoma cancer that infected her spine and her brain for almost three years. She fought through dozens upon dozens of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She tried various experimental drugs. Whatever the doctors asked her to do, Cohen did it.

Because she was determined to beat cancer.

Cohen's amazing fight and her incredible attitude were so moving that the Fairfield County Sports Commission honored her by naming her the first recipient of its Courage Award at its Hall of Fame banquet in October of 2005. That night, Cohen, in a wheelchair, received a long and deserved standing ovation.

And as word of Cohen's fight grew, so did the support for her. The entire Norwalk community rallied around Chelsea and her family. Students from both schools joined the cause, at times helping with yardwork around Chelsea's house, but more importantly, selling several thousand Carolina-blue wrist bands with the word "Hope" on them to show their support for Cohen's fight.

This past May 13, mayor Richard Moccia proclaimed it "Chelsea Cohen Day" as car washes were held all over the city to help raise money to pay for Chelsea's medical and rehabilitation bills. And in June, Cohen, despite her illness, achieved perhaps her greatest goal — graduating with

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her Norwalk High class. She was chosen by her classmates to be the keynote speaker at the ceremony. At that time, the cancer had blinded her in one eye, had taken away her hearing and had severely affected the nerves in her face, all of which made her fight harder. Sadly, on Aug. 2, just a few weeks shy of her 18th birthday, Chelsea Cohen lost her fight with cancer. A few days later, nearly 1,000 people sat in the Brien McMahon auditorium to honor Chelsea as teachers, friends and classmates remembered her with old stories and memories of her life. "Chelsea touched our hearts and touched our souls," said Moccia at the ceremony. "I always saw a light in her eyes. We should all give thanks that we met and knew Chelsea."

Thanks to the Fairfield County Sports Commission, Chelsea's memory, and her light, will now live forever. The commission announced that it has renamed its Courage Award the Chelsea Cohen Courage Award, and that Sacred Heart baseball player Jason Maiella will receive the award at the commission's 2006 Hall of Fame dinner on Oct. 23 at the Westin Hotel in Stamford. Cohen's parents, Barbara Rittner and Larry Cohen, will present the award to Miaella.

Also being honored that night are Bobby Valentine and Mo Vaughn, who will be inducted into the Jackie Robinson professional wing; Joan Joyce and Walter Luckett, who will be inducted into the James O'Rourke amateur wing; and Ray Barry and Porky Vieira, who will be inducted into the J. Walter Kennedy Community Service wing.

"When Chelsea passed away, our immediate thought was how could we honor her memory for the long struggle she endured, while keeping such a positive outlook and inspiring all of us along the way," commission executive director Tom Chiappetta said. "Having our courage award each year be presented in her name will be a lasting tribute to a young lady who fought the worst of opponents right to the end."

Maiella, a junior second baseman for the Pioneers baseball team, suffered a severe head injury in October of 2004 and was in a coma for almost two days. Doctors at Bridgeport Hospital had to drill out a portion of Maiella's skull and repair a ruptured blood vessel that was putting pressure on his brain.

"It was life-threatening," Pioneers baseball coach Nick Giaquinto told me back in June. "They didn't know if he would regain consciousness, if he would be able to walk or speak." After a recovery that took nearly 16 months, Maiella was cleared to return to play. This past season, he helped lead Sacred Heart to the Northeast Conference tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament. In 54 games, Maiella hit .313 with three home runs and 34 RBIs as SHU earned its first NCAA bid.

"He's just been an inspiration to the entire team," Giaquinto said.

Sounds like a perfect first choice for the Chelsea Cohen Courage Award.

Contact Chris Elsberry at celsberry@ctpost.com