Arlington Heights firefighters “Fill the Boot” for MDA
When Grant Monson walked across the stage last month to accept his diploma at Saint Viator High School, he crossed another milestone.
He not only graduated from high school, but the 18-year-old from Arlington Heights defied the odds: as a patient with Duchenne’s — one of the most severe forms of muscular dystrophy — he overcame the traditional diagnosis that he would be in a wheelchair by the age of 10.
“When he walked across the stage in junior high, I never thought he’d be walking as a senior in high school,” said his father, Tim Monson, owner of Monson Jewelers in Palatine. “We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but we feel so lucky. We’re just taking it one day at a time.”
Grant’s story came as music to the ears of Arlington Heights firefighters, who will take to the streets Friday for their annual Fill the Boot Drive.
They conduct the drive every year to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and its services that directly affect the lives of local families dealing with muscular dystrophy.
“I have done the boot drive every year since I got hired, and that’s 10 years running,” said Arlington Heights firefighter Ted Peterson, drive coordinator. “I always assumed the money we raised went to the MDA national fund.
“But the majority of the money stays right here in town, going toward assisting families that need it,” he added. “That motivates me even more.”
Another family that directly benefits from MDA services is the Ortiz family of Arlington Heights. The youngest of their five children, 7-year-old Luciano, was diagnosed with Duchenne’s at the age of 18 months.
“He has a rare case, with a rapid onset of the disease’s symptoms,” said his mother, Maria Ortiz.
Luciano became non-ambulatory at the age of 4 and uses a wheelchair. However, he is finishing up first grade and the family looks forward to next summer when he can attend a special summer camp for muscular dystrophy patients.
“The MDA has been a fabulous resource,” Ortiz said. “They have a loan closet for wheelchairs, and they even fix wheelchairs. Mostly, they are a wonderful source of information and support for families like ours going through this.”
Since 1954, firefighters nationwide have supported the organization in the fight against the neuromuscular disease, striving to make a difference in the lives of those affected.
Arlington Heights is the first community to hold their drive, but upcoming campaigns will be taking place in Barrington, Rolling Meadows, Mount Prospect, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Palatine, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Streamwood and Hanover Park.
Last year, the combined Northwest suburban drives raised more than $170,000 as part of the $880,000 overall raised by Illinois firefighters. Nationally, firefighters collected more than $28 million for the MDA.
“The firefighters are our largest and longest standing sponsor,” said Amber Pichiotino of the Chicago office of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.