CROSS LANES, W.Va. — The Andrew Jackson Middle School community came together Monday to offer a $1,418 donation to Autumn Cole, a senior from Nitro High School, as she continues her battle with Leukemia.
Ronald Cole, Autumn’s grandfather, accepted the check on her behalf during an event held at the school.
“It’s not just Autumn, I think, it’s just about an 18-year-old getting hit with a life threatening disease and how the community will just come out of the woodworks to support them,” Cole said of what the donation meant to him and his family.
Autumn is a former AJMS student who Cole said has high hopes for the future.
“She’s been accepted to Marshall University and her hope is to be a neonatal nurse,” he said. “She’s committed. She’s going to make that graduation date.”
“Her positive attitude is really pulling her through this,” her grandfather told reporters.
The money was donated by students at AJMS. Organizer and 7th grade math teacher Ken Ramsey said for every $100 they raised, a student would be allowed to throw a pie at a teacher’s face. In addition, a few male teachers said if a team raised more than that, they would shave their heads.
“I would’ve liked to raise $1,000. That was my minimum goal coming into it and they’ve exceeded all of my expectations, so I’m very glad to be losing my hair to this cause,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey, who presented the check to Cole, said the funds are to help with Autumn’s medical bills. He said it just goes to show how giving their students are.
“These are 11, 12, 13 year old kids that are being so generous. We’ve had students bring in $100 themselves and just a wonderful thing to see that they’re so warm-hearted,” he said.
Cole said the family is waiting to hear from doctors about what Autumn’s next step of treatment is. They have included the use of leukopaks in her treatment.
“There’s an outside chance that the first treatment may have done the job and if so, all of our prayers will be answered,” he said.