By Henriikka Niemi
Staff Writer

The Coppell community has rallied together once again in the face of hardship to support sophomore Tommy Gantt, who is currently battling stage IV nasopharyngeal cancer.

Last year, Gantt was the manager for the Coppell High School freshman basketball team and after learning of his diagnosis, the players from the basketball program prayed for Gantt before each game, received updates of his condition from CHS boys basketball coach Kit Pehl and sold T-shirts displaying the message “Hoops for Tommy” on the back.

These shirts allowed students to get in free at the basketball game between the seniors and Coppell servicemen on April 25.

Members of the Coppell fire department, police department, Animal Control Services, streets department and all other service organizations within the city of Coppell were represented at the game. The servicemen hold an annual basketball game each year, and after they decided to play against the Coppell Basketball seniors, they were able to raise over $9,000, which will be split between the American Cancer Society and the Gantt family.

“It’s really cool to see how through the different tough times that Coppell has faced, people come together and make something good out of something bad,” CHS senior post Zach Siebenmann said. “It was important for us to support [Gantt] since last year he was the manager of the freshman team, so he has a connection with a lot of the guys and Coach Pehl.”

The seniors pulled out the win with a final score of 59-55. Gantt was presented with a Coppell services jersey at the end of the game.

“I’m part of  the Relay for Life Team here in the city of Coppell, and we want to reach out to show Tommy how much we appreciate him and love him and all of our members who are affected by some form of cancer,” Coppell police officer Tonard Warmsley said. “This is an awesome turnout; the Coppell community definitely came out to support. We had flowers, we had banners, we had all types of support to showcase our appreciation for Tommy as well as all our affected members.”

Gantt is now receiving medical care at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston in addition to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, so the funds raised will go towards paying for treatment and travel expenses.

“The community has supported me in a lot of ways. One day, the basketball team came to my house at lunch and during the basketball period. It was really cool,” Gantt said. “It means a lot actually because a lot of my friends are coming together, just to hang out kind of.”

In addition to support from CHS students, members of Gantt’s church hosted a garage sale to raise funds. The Mothers of Young Children, a ministry from St. Ann Catholic Parish that supports mothers with infant to preschool age children, held its fourth Annual Garage Sale on April 26 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Although the MYC typically keeps the funds for ministry purposes or nursery needs at St. Ann, this year they felt called to help the Gantt family. Gantt’s mother, Veronica Gantt, was previously a member of MYC for four years and still stays connected through their email group.

“I’ve done this garage sale in the past and I’m really excited that this year we are putting it towards the Gantt family as a church community,” MYC member Kate Adelmann said. “I am a member of St. Ann’s just like they are and we wanted to support them through difficult times.”

The MYC began organizing for the garage sale two months prior, sorting, pricing and organizing items into sections. Twenty-five people chose to purchase a spot at the garage sale, and MYC also held their own sale with items donated from community and church members.

Students from  St. Ann’s High School Ministry, St. Ann’s Youth, the National Honor Society and members of the St. Ann’s Men’s Club showed up to support on the day of. The total amount raised was $7,121.34, more than tripling the record set by last year’s sales.

“I was at the sale towards the end so I basically packed up all the leftover stuff into a van that took it to a charity,” senior National Honor Society member Sarah Gibbons said. “The turnout at the sale was pretty decent and it was a great thing to do for a really good cause.”

Beyond the funds raised, CHS students and members of the Coppell community have provided support and encouragement for the Gantt family after Gantt’s June 2013 diagnosis.