Team Isaiah: community rallies around sick 5-year-old

October 3, 2018 5:53 pm

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WLNE) – It’s been a really challenging month for a little boy from North Kingstown after a rare disorder left him suddenly paralyzed. Before that, he was just starting to play flag football. Even though his time on the field was brief, his team and several communities have rallied around him and his family.

Isaiah has a long road ahead. His parents tell ABC 6 News he’s struggling to breathe on his own and at this point, they’re hoping he’ll eventually be able to move his arms and legs again. They say the encouragement from football teams all over the state has put a smile on Isaiah’s face on otherwise tough days.

A month ago, 5-year-old Isaiah Hazard was having the time of his life as captain of his flag football team. Now, he’s working hard just to breathe on his own again.

“Bad luck is what they call it. Really bad luck,” says Erika Thompson, Isaiah’s mom.

What seemed like just a cold ended up being a neurological disorder that causes swelling around the spinal cord, transverse myelitis. It left Isaiah paralyzed from the neck down.

“It’s hard to swallow when your son was perfectly fine one day and now like this the next,” says Thompson.

It hasn’t been easy but one thing has kept a smile on his face. High school football teams from all over the state joining “team Isaiah.”

“It melts his heart; it means the world to him. I think he likes the attention being 5 but it’s crazy the outpouring of support,” says Trevor Hazard, Isaiah’s dad.

It started with his team, the North Kingstown Jaguars, and now others are jumping on board, finding ways to show their support.

“There’s bigger and more important things outside of the game that we need to be paying attention to, obviously this boy’s health is important and if we can get the message out to him that we’re supporting him and wishing him well, it’s a win, win,” says Joe Acciardo the Johnston High School Football Coach

It’s too soon to tell if Isaiah will have a full recovery. His parents say he’s definitely not giving up and they’re hopeful the Jaguars’ captain will be back on the field one day.

“We want him to stop using the breathing tube, we want him to walk again we want him to enjoy running around on a playground on a sunny day,” says Hazard.

The plan is to move Isaiah to a rehab center next.

Friends are selling Team Isaiah t-shirts to help the family with medical bills. To buy one visit: https://www.customink.com/fundraising/team-isaiah-nevergiveup

To donate to the family visit: https://www.gofundme.com/team-isaiah-hazard