Anywhere you went in St. George on Monday, there was only one topic of conversation.

Evan Leversage, the seven-year-old boy who brought thousands of people to the Brant County community this year to help him celebrate an early Christmas, died Sunday morning in hospice care.

“He passed away with a smile on his face,” said his mother, Nicole Wellwood.

“He had found his peace, and he was free to play.”

Evan had been suffering from an inoperable brain tumour.

In late October, when the boy’s family was told that Evan might not live to see another Christmas, the community began organizing a special Christmas parade in his honour.

News of Evan’s plight and the Christmas effort made international headlines, and brought people from far and wide to St. George.

The community was also hosting visitors on Monday – and they, too, were quick to express sympathies for Evan’s family.

“What St. George (did) for him was amazing. It gets your heart and brings a few tears to your eyes,” said Barb Kirkland, who was in from the Kingston area to visit family.

“He did get his wish, and he looked so happy. He was a special little kid.”

Allan Gaubert, who was visiting from Brantford, said the “sad occasion” of the seven-year-old’s death had a silver lining in the “great occasion” that was the outpouring of support for the child.

“It shows that this town does things together,” he said.

At Evan’s school, St. George German School, flags were lowered to half-mast.

Counsellors were at the school to help any students, staff members or parents who needed their services.

“For young ones, it’s hard to put (death) into a context – and especially with someone they’ve known,” said principal Thadeus Zebroski.

Students are already talking about findings ways to honour Evan’s memory, Zebroski said.

One way that could happen is through Evan’s Legacy, which his family set up with the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada earlier this year.

Evan’s Legacy is a fundraising campaign which will support research into childhood brain cancer.

“I can only pray that Evan’s Legacy becomes successful, and that it helps in leading to a cure,” Wellwood said.

A funeral will be held Thursday at 1 p.m., at Providence Free Reformed Church in St. George.

Visitation takes place at the same location between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tuesday, between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday, and between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday.