In the perfect world, Dylan Skalina would just be an average 13-year-old celebrating Thanksgiving.

All kids would cherish and give thanks for their families and friends, hold doors open for strangers, be honorable, modest and kind.

Then again, in that utopia – Dylan would still be here, helping his grandmother make Thanksgiving dinner.

Alas, in our imperfect world, grandma Joan Portnoy’s spacious Scottsdale table will seat 11, with an empty space.

The gap at the table is nothing compared to the gaping hole in the hearts of his grandmother and Ari and Megan Skalina, the parents of Dylan, as well as those who were friends with this rare seventh grader.

“He was a good kid,” his mother says, wiping away a tear.

Raised at the Skalina home near Desert Ridge, Dylan was ever-kind to his pets

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