Our A+ award goes to 12-year-old Ashton Staton, a student at LaMuth Middle School, who is in the hospital fighting to recover from a rare disease. Our A+ Award also goes to all the students, teachers and parents at the Riverside School District and beyond who have been showing Ashton their love and support.
Ask Ashton’s dad, Matt Staton, about Ashton, and he will tell you that Ashton is a “stud” who loves all sports, especially baseball, football and basketball. He loves to practice and drill to get better, but Ashton’s also the “first one on the fence cheering on a teammate” because that is the kind of person he is.
What started as headaches this summer quickly proved to be an extremely serious situation. Ashton was admitted to Cleveland Clinic and was put in a medically induced coma for months so that he could survive. The doctors determined he has a type of encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain. Needless to say, it has been a really hard time for his family.
What has really blown Ashton’s family away is how the entire community has come out to show their support and love and to help raise money for Ashton’s medical bills. #StatonStrong and #AshtonStrong are two hashtags that you will see on Twitter, on shirts and on athletes' arms during games.
Whether it’s the football team, the soccer team or the volleyball team, high school athletes all around the Riverside School District have been showing number 13, meaning that they are Staton Strong and have his back.
LaMuth Principal Nick Orlando said the school has decorated Ashton’s locker, thrown spirit days for him and most importantly: reserved a desk for when he comes back to school. Meanwhile, all throughout the community, kids and adults have held fundraisers to help raise money to help the family with their medical bills. The family is more than halfway to their goal on their GoFundMe page!
Ashton’s dad Matt says he does not have the words to express how much all the support has meant to his family and to him. He says that thank you does not even come close. The Staton family has been overwhelmed in a positive way and says “these kids show more compassion than many adults show.”
What Matt wants for his son Ashton is a full recovery, who he says is “a special kid, always has been and always will be.”
So this A+ award is for you Ashton, and your family, and all your classmates and friends far and wide who’ve got your back. We’re all #Statonstrong!
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