Local athlete needs your help

On several occasions, I’ve written about Caleb Spady.

The first time was a column back in the fall when the Hinton boy had a Make-A-Wish day with the Texas Rangers. Since then, I’ve had the good fortune to write about the care package he received during the Major League Baseball playoffs from fellow Caddo County native Reggie Willits as well as several blogs about Caleb’s battle with brain cancer.

I consider it a privilege each and every time I can write about him. Because of his strength and his faith, this little boy has brought so much inspiration to everyone who knows his story.

Well, now it’s time to return the favor.

Today is Caleb’s 11th birthday. He recently told his mom that he didn’t want a big to-do or anything but that he wouldn’t mind getting birthday cards.

Even though it will get to Caleb a little late, I hope you’ll send him a birthday card today.

(His mom, Kim, shared their address on her blog, so I hope she won’t mind me sharing it here: Box 308, Hinton, OK 73047.)

Just in case you need evidence of what kind of kid Caleb is, he and his class at Hinton raised money for Just One More Day for Love, Hope & A Cure (www.justonemoreday.org), a non-profit corporation dedicated to finding a cure for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma and to supporting the families of children like Caleb who have the disease. It is an inoperable form of cancer because the cells are sprinkled within the brain stem.

Caleb’s class raised $500 by selling “Pray for Caleb” wristbands.

Way to go!

As a reward, the class got a visit earlier this week from Pistol Pete; Caleb and his entire family are huge Oklahoma State fans.