Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Benefit Helps Ailing Child

Courage can't be measured by size.

After all, the old saying goes dynamite comes in small packages.

The same can be said for four-year-old Matt McBride of Emmet. He is suffering from systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and is valiantly fighting for his young life.

To help out, the people of Emmet banded together and held a benefit for the youngster, raising total of $2,000 to help with expenses.

The benefit included the Ladies of EVA cooking and an auction held to raise money. Hempstead County Sheriff Jerry Crane, along with Nevada County Sheriff Steve Otwell sang at the benefit as part of the entertainment.

Other performers included Jimmy Goodson and Greater Destiny.

Additionally, merchants in Emmet, Prescott and Hope donated merchandise for the auction, with none asked saying no.

Tyson's poultry donated the meat to be cooked at the benefit as well.

The Bank of Prescott has also been a great help to the family, she said.

However, none of this shows the courage Matt displays on a daily basis.

His mom and dad are Wanda and Jamie McBride of Emmet. Mom works at Caney Creek Mobile Homes with Debbie Malek, while dad is a truck driver with Tyson's poultry.

While they work, Matt goes to the School of Hope.

But, he has already made long range plans and intends to follow in dad's footsteps and be a truck driver for Tyson's. In fact, he has a Tyson shirt he likes to wear and thinks his recent graduation from kindergarten has made him grown up enough to driver for Don Tyson.

Matt was diagnosed with this disease two years ago by Dr. Wesley Cluck and was given little chance for survival.

So far, though, he's proven medical science wrong. Wanda fully believes her son will beat this disease and fully recover.

Currently, he undergoes chemotherapy treatments, but, she said, doesn't appear to be ill because of them.

In fact, to look at Matt he is the picture of health, aside from being a bit pale. Otherwise, he's as active as any other four-year-old boy, or maybe more active, she said, as he gets into everything.

He loves cats, his mother said, as there are 11 kittens roaming around the homestead. Recently, Matt decided they needed to be bathed and gave them a bath in his wagon. Fortunately, the kittens took their bath good-naturedly.

Two years ago, when Jamie worked for Hudson's, the family couldn't get Matt on the insurance plan because of his pre-existing condition.

However, this changed when Tyson's bought out Hudson's, and the company went so far as to make sure Holly's Health Mart was included on the prescription card.

This, Wanda said, has been a blessing as it's difficult to get the other pharmacies on the card to help in the wee hours of the dawn.

Tyson's, she continued, also notifies Jamie in times of emergencies with Matt to make sure he can get home and be with his son when needed.

Matt, though, lets nothing get him down, or slow him down. "He's always on the go," Wanda said. "He never slows down and never complains."

He has also been adopted by the City of Emmet, she said. Former Mayor Chuck Otwell acted as the auctioneer at the recent benefit, while Mike and Laurie Otwell, owners of the Eagle's Nest, contributed to the cause and have helped in other ways.

And, when Matt spends time with mom at her office in Hope, he also has a little office of his own at Caney Mobile Homes. There are a time when he forgets about being a trucker and wants to work there.

This could be partly because of Debbie Malek's smile. Matt thinks she has a pretty smile and always asks her to smile for him when he's there.

Still, this little fellow never quits. He's had to spend time at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock as well as the Shriner's Hospital in Shreveport, La. But his belief in full recovery never falters, nor does his mother's faith in this miracle.

The McBrides want to offer all who have helped them their undying gratitude and thanks for making things easier with Matt's problem.

This only goes to show courage comes in all sizes, and hearts know no limits when it comes to helping a child or family in need.