Courageous kid Cason Vandehey to be recognized at the Schultz Memorial
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by Alexandra Pernice
Make-A-Wish YouTube video with Cason Vandehey
Photos of Cason Vandehey courtesy of Vandehey family
On Thursday, January 29, 11-year-old Cason Vandehey and his family will be arriving at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. to fulfill one of his lifelong dreams.
Recently, Cason had the chance to be a part of the Make-A-Wish program. The organization sent him and his family from their home in Cornelius, Oregon to Alaska. While there, they fished for salmon, took a tour of a glacier by dog sled, and had the chance to see Cason’s favorite animal - a wolverine.
Now, USA Wrestling has the opportunity to bring another one of Cason’s wishes to life.
After learning about Cason’s story from Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Ahad Javansalehi, who was involved with Cason and their wrestling community during his time living in Oregon, USA Wrestling decided to bring the Vandehey family to Colorado Springs.
The family will get the chance to immerse themselves in the atmosphere at the OTC and the surrounding city. They will also be attending the exciting three-day Dave Schultz Memorial International, where Cason and his family will get to watch all three styles of wrestling in action.
On Friday, January 30, Cason will also be recognized during the men’s freestyle tournament at 5:30 p.m.
Cason’s trip to Colorado Springs is sponsored by wrestling leader Ken Honig.
At the age of 5, Cason Vandehey had big dreams for his budding wrestling career. A tough fighter on the mat, he envisioned himself competing for the Penn State wrestling team, just like his first wrestling hero, American Paralympian Rohan Murphy.
However, at the young age of 7, Cason received his first diagnosis that preceded multiple health issues that have since attempted to hinder his ability to participate in the sport he truly loves.
After years of lung infections and pneumonia, it was determined that Cason was suffering from bronchiolitis obliterans. The rare lung condition, which only occurs in six out of 100,000 hospitalizations, makes it tough for Vandehey to breathe. The disease also affects his growth, leaving his 11-year-old body looking smaller and younger than it is.
A few years later, at age 10, it was discovered that Vandehey had a dilated aortic root. Along with a leaking mitral valve in his heart, Cason’s aortic heart disease became the absolute stop to his wrestling career. If he continued to participate, the issues could pose a serious threat to his young life.
His nightly routine of growth hormone injections is also about to be accompanied by the use of a CPAP machine, due to their recent discovery of his sleep apnea.
His mother, Angela Vandehey, describes their son as “our little medical mystery.” Doctors cannot give an explanation as to why Cason has these diseases, except for that his issues could be attributed to connective tissue disease.
Despite a variety of hardships, however, they have not stopped Cason from being involved with his local wrestling community.
Cason began to help coach younger wrestlers improve and face their own challenges on the mat. He claims that his new dream is to now be the man in the corner, coaching wrestlers to victory.
“I think at age 11, he has more appreciation for life than many adults,” said Cason’s mother. She said he finds great pride in his new endeavor, and that coaching gives him more joy than pinning an opponent ever did.
Photos of Cason Vandehey courtesy of Vandehey family
On Thursday, January 29, 11-year-old Cason Vandehey and his family will be arriving at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. to fulfill one of his lifelong dreams.
Recently, Cason had the chance to be a part of the Make-A-Wish program. The organization sent him and his family from their home in Cornelius, Oregon to Alaska. While there, they fished for salmon, took a tour of a glacier by dog sled, and had the chance to see Cason’s favorite animal - a wolverine.
Now, USA Wrestling has the opportunity to bring another one of Cason’s wishes to life.
After learning about Cason’s story from Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Ahad Javansalehi, who was involved with Cason and their wrestling community during his time living in Oregon, USA Wrestling decided to bring the Vandehey family to Colorado Springs.
The family will get the chance to immerse themselves in the atmosphere at the OTC and the surrounding city. They will also be attending the exciting three-day Dave Schultz Memorial International, where Cason and his family will get to watch all three styles of wrestling in action.
On Friday, January 30, Cason will also be recognized during the men’s freestyle tournament at 5:30 p.m.
Cason’s trip to Colorado Springs is sponsored by wrestling leader Ken Honig.
At the age of 5, Cason Vandehey had big dreams for his budding wrestling career. A tough fighter on the mat, he envisioned himself competing for the Penn State wrestling team, just like his first wrestling hero, American Paralympian Rohan Murphy.
However, at the young age of 7, Cason received his first diagnosis that preceded multiple health issues that have since attempted to hinder his ability to participate in the sport he truly loves.
After years of lung infections and pneumonia, it was determined that Cason was suffering from bronchiolitis obliterans. The rare lung condition, which only occurs in six out of 100,000 hospitalizations, makes it tough for Vandehey to breathe. The disease also affects his growth, leaving his 11-year-old body looking smaller and younger than it is.
A few years later, at age 10, it was discovered that Vandehey had a dilated aortic root. Along with a leaking mitral valve in his heart, Cason’s aortic heart disease became the absolute stop to his wrestling career. If he continued to participate, the issues could pose a serious threat to his young life.
His nightly routine of growth hormone injections is also about to be accompanied by the use of a CPAP machine, due to their recent discovery of his sleep apnea.
His mother, Angela Vandehey, describes their son as “our little medical mystery.” Doctors cannot give an explanation as to why Cason has these diseases, except for that his issues could be attributed to connective tissue disease.
Despite a variety of hardships, however, they have not stopped Cason from being involved with his local wrestling community.
Cason began to help coach younger wrestlers improve and face their own challenges on the mat. He claims that his new dream is to now be the man in the corner, coaching wrestlers to victory.
“I think at age 11, he has more appreciation for life than many adults,” said Cason’s mother. She said he finds great pride in his new endeavor, and that coaching gives him more joy than pinning an opponent ever did.
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