AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - It’s been one month since a Riverheads High School senior received a devastating diagnosis, and the community support has been overwhelming.
In the middle of September, 18-year-old Jeremiah Hughes tested positive for COVID-19. His mom, Bobbi Hughes, says 29 days later he still had a fever in the evenings.
“Everyone is just like it’s COVID. It’s COVID. It’s just COVID,” said Bobbi. And I’m like, but it’s not. It’s not. I’m telling you it’s not COVID."
It wasn’t COVID-19. On October 6, Jeremiah was diagnosed with Leukemia.
“It’s his senior year. Junior year was wrecked because of COVID. He didn’t get to play soccer. Starts his senior year and gets cancer,” said Bobbi.
Three days after his diagnosis, Jeremiah was admitted to the University of Virginia Medical Center. His older sister, Kate Owens, describes the morning Jeremiah went to the hospital. “Some of the houses in the neighborhood had decorated their porches and mailboxes and cars to send him off.”
Jeremiah is home now and commuting for chemo, but the community support just keeps coming.
Family friend, Amy Huffer, says it’s because the Hughes family is awesome. “The joy that they share with others is contagious and I think that is why the community is rallying around them.”
There’s been a prayer vigil outside the Hughes' home. A teacher shared pictures of classmates holding signs of support that covered the walls of Jeremiah’s hospital room. There are #TeamJerry cookies, bracelets, T-shirts and hoodies, a GoFundMe page, and schools “lighting up orange” for Leukemia in support of Jeremiah, and even more.
“The love that our community has shown us. It’s crazy,” said Bobbi. “I have family that live all over the country and they’re blown away. They don’t live in towns like ours like they cannot believe that people are doing the things that they’re doing.”
Jeremiah is just at the beginning of a three-year treatment plan, but he still plans to start college next fall.
Copyright 2020 WVIR. All rights reserved.
"behind" - Google News
November 06, 2020 at 09:01AM
https://ift.tt/2I9ln1A
Community rallies behind Augusta County teen fighting cancer - WHSV
"behind" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YqUhZP
https://ift.tt/2yko4c8
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Community rallies behind Augusta County teen fighting cancer - WHSV"
Post a Comment