A teenage cancer survivor received a special surprise at the start of school.
Fourteen-year-old Jimmy Spagnolo was all smiles after his first day of high school in Shaler, but the last few days of his summer vacation were just as unforgettable for him.
“We noticed a lot of light trucks coming into the neighborhood from Duquesne,” said Lacie Spagnolo.
“They replaced this mast and this mast and this mast,” said Jimmy Spagnolo.
“Just a curious kid,” said Duquesne Light lineman Joshua Casselberry. “Just big enough to see what’s going on outside the fence.”
From a treehouse, Jimmy had a perfect view of the Duquesne Light crews working on his street. Day after day, he climbed the ladder to his treehouse and just watched. Then he asked the linemen question after question.
“Just typical interest in hanging out with the guys and being a nebby,” Casselberry said. “What are the trucks doing? What are we doing? What’s our plan?”
“I came over and they said, ‘Hey Jimmy, what’s up?'” Jimmy said.
Then one day they came over to him.
“The guys just came to my door,” Jimmy said. “Just ‘knock, knock, knock. Hello? We’re here to give you some stuff from Duquesne Light.'”
“What kind of boy doesn’t want a helmet?” said Casselberry.
This group of Duquesne Light workers gave him a hard hat, safety vest and gloves.
“Fucking awesome,” said Jimmy.
“They were patient and kind enough even though they didn’t know anything about Jimmy’s story,” Lacie said.
At the age of 4 months, Jimmy was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
“He shouldn’t live to see his first birthday,” Lacie said.
At the age of six, after six rounds of chemotherapy, his victory dance upon completion of chemotherapy was performed on the Today Show.
“Jimmy has a really unique ability to connect with people,” Lacie said. “He’s just a really good person and I really feel like God is working through him in a lot of different ways.”
In some ways, he may not even be aware of it.
“Thanks, guys,” Jimmy said. “I love you guys.”
Jimmy’s tumor has been stable since May. His next scan is Wednesday. His mom says they’re praying for a good scan so he can just enjoy being a curious kid in high school.
“It makes me feel like there’s so much good in the world and we need to focus on that,” Lacie said. “And these gentlemen from Duquesne Light showed it. They lived it. They live it.”
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