Picture: Following the Benefit Concert, from L to R, Performers: Carlis Faurot, Kathy Donnelly, Nina Swanson, and Carol Montag with Aaron & Tracy McCarthy, and children, Luke, Gage and Marisa. (Matthew was at home with a nurse)
On October 11, 2005, King of Kings Lutheran Church member, Matthew McCarthy, 9 month old baby, started out his day like any other. By the end of the day, he was paralyzed. Matthew was diagnosed with rapid onset Transverse Myelitis. Transverse Myelitis is a rare neuro-immunologic disorder affecting approximately 1-5 people in a million each year. Essentially, the virus from a cold he had a couple weeks earlier entered his spinal cord. When his body attacked the virus, it also attacked his cord. The myelin sheath, which acts as the cords insulator allowing signals to flow from the brain to the cord, was destroyed. Matthew suffered total paralysis from the shoulders down.
As bad as that first day was, it was just the beginning of Matt’s plummet. Over the course of his 8-week hospital stay at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Matthew’s heart stopped three times, he fought a series of lung problems and ultimately underwent surgery for a tracheostomy and a gastrostomy.
At the 4-week mark his parents, Aaron and Tracy McCarthy of Marion, met with his doctors in a “Care Conference” to determine his continued course of treatment. "We were given the option to remove all life support and let him go. The doctors classified him as a ventilator dependent, flaccid quadriplegic with little hope of improvement. We refused to believe that he wouldn’t improve and remain haunted by the idea that we were given the option to so easily give up on him.", said Tracy.
Matthew did improve. Within two weeks of the Care Conference, he was ventilator free. He was released from the hospital on December 5th, and returned home to 24 hour in-home nursing care.
King of Kings began to talk about doing some kind of a benefit for Matthew. Chuck Zadow, Thrivent Associate heard about Matthew and called the church to encourage a benefit. The Thrivent community was notified and it was decided to do a Benefit Concert as a community event.
The natural choice for the concert was Carol Montag, professional singer/songwriter and member of King of Kings Lutheran Church. When asked to do the Benefit Concert, Carol without hesitation replied, "I'd be honored". Carol Montag put together a wonderful evening with a heart-warming musical program, with special appearances by Violinist, Carlis Faurot, and Kathy Donnelly, and Nina Swanson of TRIBUTE.
A Benefit Concert Committee was formed and the work of planning and promoting the concert began. The response to the McCarthy Benefit was overwhelming. Matthew's story and the news of the "Carol Montag Benefit Concert for Matthew McCarthy" were picked up by local media, including Channel 2 News, Channel 9 News, The Marion Times and The Cedar Rapids Gazette". Several area businesses also responded by donating money, time or services, including: Adcraft Printing, Basler Design, Blimpe Subs West, Brewed Awakenings, Frank Magid, Hy-Vee, Collins RD & Marion, Karrleton Recording, Lemstone Books, Malone Music, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, and Nesper Sign, and Xavier High School donated the use of their auditorium.
On Saturday, July 29th at 8:00 PM in the Xavier High School Auditorium, the sold out Benefit Concert all came together. The concert was a perfect mix of light-hearted fun music and spiritual, soul touching pieces. The concert lasted 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission. The last number Carol sang was "The Prayer" to a slide show of Matthew. All were touched in a special way and reminded that the evening was all about Matthew McCarthy, and that all in attendance were there with the same purpose, to reach out with Christian love and support for Matthew and his family.
A special thanks to all the volunteers in the Lutheran and Christian community that came together to reach out with Christian support and love to one of our own families during a challenging time. Thanks to all the churches that took offerings and helped promote this Thrivent Community Event. Thanks to all who purchased tickets and made donations. As the concert was planned many prayers went up, and God graciously answered and blessed beyond measure. Ticket sales and donations to date have totaled $13,408.62 after expenses. With added funds of $5,000 from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the grand total is, $18,408.62, all going to Matthew McCarthy and his family to pay medical costs. Thanks be to God and thank you THRIVENT, and all of you who graciously volunteered your time to reach out with Christian love!
In Christ,
Elise HexumOutreach/Small Group Coordinator
King of Kings Lutheran Church
6621 C Ave. NE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402
319-393-2438
http://www.kingofkingscr.org/
