Behind Gavin Trent’s toy drive for Peyton Manning Youngsters’s Hospital
CAMBRIDGE CITY, Ind. — Rising up, Lincoln senior Gavin Trent’s favourite toys to get for Christmas had been WWE motion figures. For his mother, Ashley Trent, it was My Little Pony. And his dad, Chris Trent, needed the whole lot Nerf.
It wouldn’t have taken them lengthy to revisit a few of these childhood reminiscences within the overflowing packing containers simply exterior Lincoln’s health club Dec. 9, packing containers full of all kinds of donated toys for Gavin Trent’s toy drive to learn the Peyton Manning Youngsters’s Hospital. They had been full earlier than his basketball recreation even began, and he was overwhelmed by the help.
“I anticipated some toys, however I didn’t count on the quantity folks have contributed,” Trent stated. “To me, it’s mind-blowing. It’s loopy how a lot one little flyer and a tweet right here and there’ll get everyone collectively to assist a terrific trigger.”
The basis of that flyer, these tweets and this nice trigger goes again about six years to when Trent was in center college.
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Trent was at all times shifting. Similar to now, he was a three-sport athlete rising up. He would get “canine drained” simply and voluntarily go to mattress sooner than you’d count on most youngsters that age. He and his mother and father thought nothing of it, assuming it was from how energetic he was in athletics.
Sooner or later in the midst of basketball season, Trent obtained an earache. It was simply dangerous sufficient the place his mother and father took him to the native physician’s workplace. Throughout his examination, the physician thought his blood stress was off, so that they despatched him to the hospital to ensure it was nothing severe. What Trent quickly came upon instantly ended his basketball season.
Trent was identified with coarctation of the aorta, which, in keeping with Mayo Clinic, narrows the physique’s largest artery, forcing the guts to pump more durable to get blood to the remainder of the physique. He wanted coronary heart surgical procedure.
“It was a whole shock,” Ashley Trent stated. “Completely wholesome child, performed three sports activities, was energetic on a regular basis. We took him to the physician for an earache and are available to seek out out he’s obtained that. It was a whirlwind of feelings, however the neighborhood backed us 100% and confirmed their love and help. That meant so much to us and helped us get via that.”
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Fortunately, remedy for this situation is often profitable, because it was for Gavin Trent, however it requires “cautious lifelong follow-up.”
Trent’s remedy and restoration course of saved him inactive for the subsequent two or three months, the other of what he was used to, and he spent loads of that point on the St. Vincent Peyton Manning Youngsters’s Hospital. It was there the place he had a “life-changing expertise” and developed a brand new perspective on life, which ultimately led him to host this toy drive.
“I really feel for these children who’re up there for horrible causes,” Trent stated. “I used to be of their sneakers at one level, and it’s simply so humbling to expertise how a lot the neighborhood provides again and their help for me.”
Lots of people obtained to know Trent whereas supporting him via his restoration, and it’s due to the younger man they met a couple of years in the past that they flocked to Lincoln Excessive College Dec. 9 to point out their help as soon as once more.
Whereas there have been packing containers filled with toys on the college, there have been simply as many on the Trents’ kitchen desk again house, all of which went with Trent to St. Vincent Dec. 20 to present to children in want. Lincoln Athletic Director Rob Payments stated he acquired “tons” of calls the day of the toy drive from folks asking if they may cease by to donate even when they couldn’t keep for the sport. Chris Trent stated he talked to those that night whom he hadn’t seen since he attended Lincoln.
“He’s at all times pondering of different folks first,” Lincoln head boys’ basketball coach Rodney Klein stated. “He’s been so blessed to undergo the issues he’s went via and are available out with the result he’s had, and he needs to share that with different folks. That’s what we’re right here for, to be selfless and to serve others, and I can consider no two higher methods to explain Gavin Trent.”
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Oh, and this was all Trent’s thought. Payments didn’t consider it. Klein didn’t consider it. His mother and father didn’t recommend it. Trent needed to discover a solution to give again to the individuals who helped him via the hardest time of his younger life, so he did, and his neighborhood helped make it successful.
“He’s been via so much the primary 18 years of his life, so he’s at all times been slightly extra mature than most,” Chris Trent stated. “Going via what he’s gone via, he’s a pure chief, and he sees an even bigger image.”
You may see this on any athletic stage. Gavin Trent is vocal and leads by instance on the soccer discipline, he fist-bumps each one in every of his teammates earlier than taking the basketball court docket and he performs wherever he’s wanted at a excessive degree on the baseball diamond.
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“I attempt my hardest to be a frontrunner in the whole lot I do,” Trent stated. “If it’s a category mission or one thing small like serving to little children with their math homework, I attempt to lead them and be a instructor in that facet. Particularly with sports activities, I like being the chief. I like taking these children underneath my wing and mentoring them via the whole lot I’ve been via and what to anticipate.”
He’s always within the highlight, however that’s not the place he likes to be. Trent will do the whole lot in his energy to assist others, however generally, it’s the little issues that appear the only which can be truly the toughest for him.
Trent appeared on Richmond’s Kicks 96 radio station Dec. 9 to speak in regards to the toy drive, and he was “sweating bullets.” The night time earlier than, he was up previous midnight getting ready and stressing over a pregame speech he would give to everybody over the health club microphone.
He deserves all of the reward that comes his method, however he’d want to make a distinction in silence. That’s why so many will miss him after he graduates.
“We’re extraordinarily pleased with him, and his sisters adore him,” Ashley Trent stated. “He’s a ache within the butt, don’t get me mistaken, however he’s a superb child and was a pleasant younger man. When he goes off to highschool subsequent 12 months, I’m undecided what we’re going to do.”
Zach Piatt is a reporter for The Palladium-Merchandise. Contact him at zpiatt@gannett.com or on Twitter @zachpiatt13.
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