Classmates Rally to Support Sick Student

WILMINGTON, Del. - February 23, 2007 (WPVI) -- Some local students are learning a valuable lesson about life. A fellow student is literally fighting for his own life at the Alfred I. Dupont Hospital for Children.

"He was playing soccer, four games on a Saturday, and 48 hours later he was in cardiac arrest," said his dad, Joe McDonough.

14-year-old Andrew McDonough was an elite soccer player just 26 days ago, but that suddenly changed, his parents said, when what was thought to be a case of appendicitis turned out to be leukemia.

Making matters worse, Andrew's organs went into septic shock. The doctors said it was the teenager's athletic conditioning that kept his body from completely shutting down.

"To just come into school on Tuesday and find out he's in such bad condition, it's just devastating," said freshman Mac Bree.

Students at Salesianum High School held a rally for Andrew on Friday. They raised more than $3,000 for the Leukemia Society. Teachers got their heads shaved in a gesture done in fun for the boy with such a serious illness

"I think he's probably going to smile and laugh and realize how much everybody cares about him, and how much he means to all of us," said Kevin Kellher.

A website set up for Andrew has received more than 80 thousand hits from around the world. Many have left messages and prayers for the boy with the curly blond hair.

"We are all Salesianum brothers here. I think it's important that that happens," said Grant Temple.

Wearing a shirt that reads "b positive," Joe McDonough says the rally held at sallies is just the kind of medicine his son needs

"It's that positive energy that is carrying us through, day to day," he said.

Andrew's recovery has been day to day. The good news is he has been taken off a ventilator

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