The American Heart Association kicked off its 9th annual fundraiser at Paulette Elementary School on Feb. 5, 2020. It began by honoring the short but impactful life of William Randall George, who was part of the 5th-grade class but passed away last summer.

His sister, Raven George, shared his story with me. Will was born with a heart defect, diagnosed at 4 weeks old and there is a book about him. He loved playing outside, playing baseball, hunting, and fishing. He didn't want anyone to know that he had this health issue; he didn't want to be treated differently. His dream from a very young age was to be a Marine because he wanted to save people's lives. Aware of his condition, his backup plan was to become a preacher and share the love of Jesus with everyone. He was an active member of Union Baptist Church and was very involved with the church family.

Pastor Jack Walker addressed the students with his memories of Will. Walker recalled, “Will loved to hunt with his BB gun, play in the mud, play baseball, and his favorite color was blue because he loved the ocean. Ever since he was little he wanted to become a Marine or be a preacher and help save souls. Will enjoyed coming to church, participated in plays, sang with the youth choir, and enjoyed Sunday school. He was a bright light and we miss him dearly and appreciate all the school has done to honor him and support his family.”

His baseball coach, James Hawkins, stated that Will "…had a big heart. Just by looking at him you would never know that he had heart issues, and he didn't want to feel like he was different, and he always gave 100%!” Hawkins added, “Will was a true fighter, he had more heart than anybody I knew, he didn't want to be set apart for being different, and he had so much courage. He stood out with his determination to hit the ball!” Hawkins recalled that Will would always point to the pitcher like ‘I'm ready for you!’ Will only got to play for one year, but they won the championship! The team will retire Will’s jersey on opening day, and there will be a banner donated in memory of Will as their "Angel in the Outfield."

It is comforting to know that although he didn't get to do the "How" of his life's goal by serving in the Marine Corps, he did accomplish the "Why" of his mission to save lives. Will’s kidneys were donated to a 50-year-old grandmother saving her life and giving her more time with her grandchildren. His death brings to light the reality that heart disease doesn't just affect the elderly or those who make poor lifestyle choices, anyone of any age can be at risk. 1:100 children are born with heart defects, so it is important to raise awareness and money for research and medication.

Nicole Hickle, a teacher at Paulette Elementary who knew Will, read a statement from Will's grandmother and aunt who could not attend stating that they are so grateful for the support the school has given to Will. Hickle has been touched very deeply by heart disease in the lives of children, as her daughter, Milah Hickle, was also born with a heart defect. Hickle now serves as a volunteer Program Coordinator for the American Heart Association. Hickle shared that one of the positive results of working with the American Heart Association is that twelve years ago there were no heart tests for newborns; now there are! She showed an interactive video to kick off the fundraiser and it was impressive how well the children of all ages participated. Some lifestyle choices that can help to reduce the risk of heart disease were creatively introduced as team members:
-Move More
-Be Kind
-Be Ready
-Add Color (variety of foods in your diet, plate should be colorful)
-Knox (knock out vaping and tobacco use)
-Help Others
Over the last eight years, Paulette Elementary has raised more than $46,000 for research and medication, and they hope to set a record high this year in honor of Will. The Beta club students are pitching in and you can participate too! Order forms for "Wings for Will" t-shirts are available in the Paulette Elementary school office.

For more information about events at Paulette Elementary School, please follow Pawl Panther on Facebook. For more information about the American Heart Association, visit Heart.org.