By: Kathy McDermott Goodman
MiltonNews DAILY Correspondent
To be printed in the Weekly Record Herald at a future date
Garret Hayslip, now a senior at Milton-Union High School, first met Derrick Lucous, a junior, in the fall of 2008. Lucous was the only freshman guy in show choir and Hayslip says, “He didn’t get the usual ‘fresh meat’ treatment, but we took him under our wing.” They became friends and continue to hang out quite a lot with the choir and musicals. “I feel so priveledged to say he is my friend,” says Hayslip.
When he was 5 years old, Lucous was diagnosed with Leukemia. He went into remission in 2004. Routine tests in early April 2011 showed the Leukemia was back. Hayslip started a fundraiser for D Lucous in April, selling orange t-shirts that say ‘Derrick’s Warriors’, “just to do what I can,” says Hayslip “I hate seeing something like this happen and there being nothing i can do about it.” Hayslip took on the fundraiser on his own. Mrs. Kellie Mahaney was his overseer, so he could sell the shirts at school. He sold 104 shirts, raising over $1200 for Lucous and his family.
“The fundrasier was amazing,” says Lucous. “I loved seeing the shirts, how much people cared and how they set up the fundraiser as soon as they knew I was diagnosed. It really makes me feel blessed to know I have all of this support and it shows how much impact I’ve had on people. I love how much they care and are pulling for me to get through this. With their support and my family’s, I know all is possible.”
Lucous’ parents are Rick and Leslie Lucous and he has a younger brother, Austin, who is 12. Lucous loves anything to do with art, nature, photography and performing. “I am in show choir, the school musical, and Music Warehouse in Piqua over the summer,” he says. Lucous plans on becoming a graphic designer when he graduates and also getting involved in community theatre whenever possible.
Although the t-shirts are no longer for sale, donations for Lucous and his family can be dropped off at the high school in an envelope marked ‘Derrick Donation’.
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