Alderwood Middle rallies to help student struck by stroke

Published 6:55 am Monday, March 3, 2008

Kevin Rhee enjoys activities like many other middle-school students. The 13-year-old ran cross country at Alderwood Middle School, enjoys basketball and likes being with friends.

“He’s an amazing student,” principal Suzie Baier said, “and he’s quite an artist.”

John Vogan, a fellow seventh-grader at Alderwood, described Rhee as quiet, modest and a good friend.

On March 7, Rhee suffered a stroke while at school. Baier said what began with a nose bleed during first period turned into a headache and a loss of feeling in his left leg by third period. Emergency services confirmed what school officials feared and Rhee was rushed to Children’s Hospital, where he has been since.

Paralysis to the left side of his body has not deterred Rhee. Baier said the support he has received from the Children’s staff has been brilliant.

“I can’t say enough about the service there,” she said.

Baier, who visits Children’s every few days, has already seen improvements and said Rhee is working hard in rehabilitation.

“He’s been in intensive rehab, and he’s gained use of his arm and his leg,” Baier said.

Rhee’s mother has remained by his side at Children’s since the stroke, and she has even heard him doing his exercises in the middle of the night. Baier said Rhee is said is very determined to overcome the obstacles he is facing.

“His goal is certainly to walk and return to school,” Baier said.

The Rhee family moved to the United States a year and a half ago from Korea, and Kevin has one younger brother who attends Lynnwood Intermediate School. Rhee’s mother is a student at Bellevue Community College and worked part-time at the college, but hasn’t attended or been able to work since Kevin’s stroke.

For a single mother with a child in the hospital, dealing with the bills is an ominous task, so Baier and the Alderwood students put together a fund-raiser to help the family.

Students were scheduled to participate in a walk-a-thon April 8 and many have been collecting donations to go toward an account opened at Key Bank for the family. Community members interested in donating can do so at any Key Bank branch. The account is called the “Rhee family fund.”

Student leaders discussed the difficult situation the family was placed in and came up with the idea, Baier said.

“It’s hard for (Kevin’s mother) to support him,” student body officer Katie Thurston said. “We were thinking of ways to help her and help him out.”

Baier said she’s proud the students have decided to get involved.

“The kids are taking the initiative to help one of their own,” Baier said.

Eighth-grader Jordan Daniel said students agreed they should do something for their fellow student.

“We all think it’s really important to help Kevin,” Daniel said.