Outpouring of support leads Duck Toss event

HUNTLEY — Signs of support for the families of two Huntley families whose students are battling cancers, Lucas Gidelski and Madison Roberts, were seen throughout the school’s gym area Friday. The event was a first Duck Toss Fundraiser but it ran deeper than kids tossing plastic ducks.

A message board outside Jennifer Heuck field house included several thoughts from students. “Boo cancer,” read one. “Stay strong,” noted another and “keep going,” added a third, among many others.

“We started to work on the fund-raiser event in early November,” said HHS senior Mike Dabe of Red Raider Nation. “We contacted Huntley area businesses for sponsors.”

More than 30 sponsors were listed on a banner at the gym’s west wall. The Huntley Area Lions Club donated $500 to both families. “Orange out for Leukemia Awareness” was a feature of the evening.

According to the school’s web site, approximately $20,000 was raised for the families. HHS Principal Dr. Marcus Belin praised the efforts of the school and community.

Both students spent treatment time at Laurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago including over the holidays.

Roberts Family

Steve and Laura Roberts and family watched the Huntley and Dundee- Crown basketball games from their first row seats.

“The support has been amazing,” Madison’s mom Laura Roberts said. “Madison feels pretty good now. This was her first week back at school.”

“She was excited to come back and see her friends,” dad Steve Roberts said. “She was involved in poms and Rebecca Studio of Dance in Lakewood. for seven years.”

“The dance studio is like a second family for us,” Laura said.

Madison also has sports interests that are far from Huntley.

“She loves Duke University basketball and (retired) coach Kryzewski,” Steve said. “And the Pittsburgh Steelers and their head coach, Mike Tomlin.”

“Zion Williamson (of the New Orleans Pelicans) is my favorite player,” Madison said.

Gidelski family

Lucas Gidelski, also a freshman, was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma shortly after quarterbacking the HHS freshman football team.

Kandice Gidelski, Lucas’s mom, accepted hugs from her District 158 colleagues as Lucas watched the basketball boys game in a wheelchair but in good spirits.

“He’s OK, he got out of the hospital after spending 40 days there,” Kandice Gidelski said. “We stayed at Laurie’s Children’s Hospital and we were always with him, lots of trips to and from Chicago.”

The Gidelski family moved to Huntley from the Detroit area in 2014, dad Dave Gidelski said. They brought with them Lucas’s love for the Detroit Lions football team. Lucas and family members met their favorite Lions player, Amon-Ra St. Brown during a visit at the Soldier Field sideline at the Bears-Lions game Nov. 13. The Lions won for their young fan, 31-30. St. Brown, a second year pro, had a 1,000-yard receiving season in helping Detroit to a winning season.

“It was amazing, he is Lucas’s favorite player,” Dave Gidelski said. “Antonio Pitman of the Lions also follows Lucas’s condition on Facebook and social media.”

Dave Gidelski wore a “Lucas Strong” sweatshirt and a Detroit Lions cap.

Lucas Gidelski’s head football coach, Brad Aney, summed up how the team came together on behalf of Lucas.

“During his freshman year, Lucas was one of the most selfless players on our football team,”  Aney said. “He was a leader by his play on the field, and was always reflective trying to grown both on and off the football field.  He is one of those kids that just loves being a part of our football family and was always smiling and enjoying the life lessons taught through the game of football.”

He added, “the entire football team has been keeping up on his status through the football Facebook page and remind notification app. Last weekend, a few of his teammates joined me in surprising him at his home with gifts including a football signed by the entire team. I pride myself on having turned this group of individual adolescents into a football family that looks out for one another. When one of us goes through a traumatic experience like this, we all go through it together. Lucas knows that even though he might be alone in his house or in the hospital, that we are all there waiting to support him in any way he needs it.”