Students rally for classmate

By Susan Larson | The Daily Journal

Published Tuesday, March 11, 2008

When their friend was down, Fergus Falls High School students didn’t think twice about helping him out.

Justin Fiedler was only 6 when he was diagnosed with Duchenne’s, the most common form of muscular dystrophy affecting children. Now a senior at Fergus Falls High School, he has been selling buttons for the local Shamrock and Roll Muscular Dystrophy Association benefit for years.

This year was to be no different, but fate had other plans when Justin, the son of Rob and Julie Fiedler, was hospitalized Feb. 2-15, severely ill with influenza and pneumonia.

Staff and students at Fergus High wasted no time picking up where their classmate left off. Ben Jurgens, Justin’s history teacher; Lori Jensen, Justin’s paraprofessional and “best friend;” and teacher Hal Johnson got together the end of February and formulated a game plan.

“We figured, why don’t we gather some staff and students,” Jurgens said. “I’m so proud of the kids. They just said, ‘What do you want me to do?’”

About 225 high school students offered to help sell buttons ($5 each), before school and during the three lunch hours.

“We went through 400 buttons in three days,” Jurgens said. “We sold out twice and we’ve ordered more.”

“I thought it was so cool that so many kids were thinking about of me,” Justin said.

“He’s so overwhelmed, he doesn’t understand that he’s touched so many lives,” Jensen said. “But he has and this is a way for kids to show their support. The video production class made a commercial advertising the buttons. The art students made posters.”

One of the students selling buttons was freshman Anna Synstelien, Justin’s cousin. Anyone would have been hard-pressed to keep her from helping out.

“He’s awesome,” she said. “He’s just a laid-back guy. I love him.”

“The students feel good and they should feel good about helping a fellow classmate and helping raise money for MDA,” Jurgens said. “They know what the buttons are for. They’re buying a button to fight an illness that one of their classmate’s is battling.”

Justin has never lacked for friends his mother, Julie, said.

“When he went to Adams School, the kids always included him,” she said. “I think it was good that some of them went to school with him all those years because they saw him as just another student.”

It was fourth grade when Justin began using a wheelchair. That was about the same time the family started attending Shamrock and Roll.

“We’ve gone every year since and we always have fun,” Julie said.

The Shamrock and Roll auction is set for March 17 at the Eagles at 6 p.m. Proceeds go to local MD patient/family services. Muscular dystrophy is several hereditary diseases of the muscular system characterized by progressive skeletal or voluntary muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue. There is no known cure.

Some of the items on the auction block include an office chair, boogie board, granite lazy Susan, and an autographed picture of the Viking’s Pat Williams. There is no admission to the auction, but the $5 button makes purchasers eligible for door prizes.

Justin is at home recovering. When he gets stronger, he will return to school. Doubtless, he will have countless friends welcoming him back.

“Justin’s a great kid,” Jurgens said. “He’s great to have in class and his classmates are better around him. They appreciate his friendship. That’s why they’re helping out.”