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Giving big for Dusty Swanson
$124,344.57 has been raised for injured Hill City wrestler.
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FarkThere's been a whirlwind of support shown for Dusty Swanson, since the Hill City teenager suffered a spinal cord injury during a wrestling match on Feb. 16.
An awe-inspiring $124,344.57 has been raised to help the Swanson family with expenses, according to Helene Duhamel of KOTA Territory Television.
The new total was announced Monday when Duhamel of KOTA Territory Television and Nate Brown from KZZI 95.9-96.3FM "the Eagle" handed a check for $13,500 to Dusty's father Guy Swanson and his brother, Marshal, at an assembly at the Hill City High School.
The presentation wrapped up six weeks of fundraising inspired by Oprah Winfrey's latest television adventure ABC's "Oprah's Big Give."
"Oprah's Big Give: KOTA Territory" was a challenge offer to match up to $1,000 a week from March 10 to April 18, with funds raised by local projects.
"During the "Big Give," we raised $68,000," said Chad Ronish, the Hill City wrestling coach.
"Oprah's Big Give" contributed $10,000 as seed money for the fundraising effort after Duhamel contacted the program.
Duhamel Broadcasting's fundraising produced another $3,500 that was presented Monday, according to Duhamel. "Eagle Country" did a special broadcast of the Custer-Red Cloud regional boys' basketball championship.
"We're thrilled to be where we are today," Duhamel said.
The caring and concern people have shown for the Swanson family is "almost mind boggling," she said.
"It's so grass-rooty and small," she said.
Unlike the television show, where big corporate sponsors have paid big dollars to be partners in the show, the Swansons' plight has captured everyone's heart and attention. People have rallied to help the family, and every penny is counted.
"Here it was bake sales and jeans days and class competitions, hair cuts, raffles, three-on-three basketball games," Duhamel said. "It's so neat to see."
An Internet connection allowed Dusty and his mother, Andra, to witness the presentation from his room at Craig Institute in Colorado, Duhamel said. Dusty's friends were able to see him watching them, as well, on a big screen.
Andra Swanson was began her fight against breast cancer at about the same time her son was injured.
Within days of Dusty's accident at a regional wrestling tournament in Fort Pierre, people started raising money for the Swanson family.
And, their work isn't done, Duhamel said.
The next big push is to make the Swanson home handicapped accessible so that it's ready when Dusty comes home.
"Dusty's planning to come home on June 4th," Duhamel said.
Anyone wishing help can send contributions to: Dusty Swanson Benefit Fund, First Western Bank, P.O. Box 126, Hill City, SD 57745.
Friends can keep track of Dusty's progress at http://dustyhchs.wikispaces.com.
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