The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Paradise buoyed by support from near, far
Feeling fortunate to play for a state championship on the gridiron is an understandable sentiment.
On Nov. 30, two of our area’s best — Kenston and Kirtland — will get that honor in Divisions III and VI, respectively, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
Football is a way of life in Ohio, and the Buckeye State’s state title weekend is an unofficial holiday of sorts.
But there are times elsewhere during which feeling fortunate isn’t so much about a way of life. It’s about having life and seeing how society at its best can make that life just a little better for those who have lost so much.
The Camp Fire in Northern California was officially deemed 100 percent contained Nov. 25, but not before becoming the deadliest wildfire in the state’s history. According to Cal Fire, the Camp Fire devastated more than 153,000 acres, roughly the size of Chicago. More than 14,000 homes, 500 business and 4,000 buildings were destroyed. The latest estimate, reported by the Sacramento Bee, has the death toll up to 88, with more than 200 still missing.
Paradise, a town of more than 26,000 about 90 minutes north of Sacramento, was almost entirely wiped off the map.
In an interview with NPR, Paradise principal Loren Lighthall described how he had arrived at school by 7:30 a.m. the day the fire reached Paradise. By 8 a.m., the fire had progressed into town. By 9 a.m., it was difficult to breathe because of ash and debris. Those still at the high school had to be evacuated to the cafeteria before they could be picked up.
The high school building survived, as did the football field. But they were exceptions, because Paradise was devastated by the Camp Fire. The contents of a football storage shed were wiped out. Buildings, even a church just across the street from the high school, perished.
The Paradise football team was in the midst of a turnaround campaign. After going 2-8 last fall, the Bobcats and Coach Rick Prinz, in his 20th year at the helm, returned nine starters on offense and six on defense. They went 8-2 to qualify for the CIF Northern Section Division II playoffs, featuring a six-game winning streak including
tight wins over Chico (2724) and Shasta (10-7).
Paradise was prolific on offense, led by quarterback Colby Cline (1,115 yards from scrimmage, 15 total touchdowns), Dominic Wiggins (1,707 rushing yards, 19 TDs) and Jacob Weldon (1,211 total yards, 15 TDs).
Cline told local media around 90 percent of the football team and their families lost their homes, including his own. Families had and have been displaced all the way to Oregon.
The Bobcats were scheduled to play Red Bluff in a first-round playoff game. But obviously, the focus was not on football.
Red Bluff offered Paradise a bye to the next round, potentially giving the Bobcats time to prepare for a game. Ultimately, though, Prinz and school officials decided it was best for Paradise to end its season.
“One of my players put it best,” Prinz told the San Jose Mercury-News. “He said, ‘I really want to play the game, but I lost everything I own and I need to find out where I’m going to live.’ ”
Lighthall established a GoFundMe, with hopes of using money raised to purchase gift cards for displaced families. In describing the plight, Lighthall
referred to Paradise as a “high-poverty” school, at which two-thirds of students qualify for free lunch. Butte County residents had just approved a school levy to repair deteriorating buildings in the district.
Losing so much is unimaginable, which is what makes the charity shown in the aftermath so heartwarming.
For their “Monday Night Football” game Nov. 12 against the Giants, the 49ers donated tickets and buses to Paradise. Making the trip were 35 players, 16 cheerleaders and eight coaches. They joined the 49ers on the field for the national anthem.
“Most could give us a million dollars each if they could, but there is still an emptiness that persists,” Lighthall wrote on Facebook. “I can tell you for a time, we all forgot about fires and destruction and basked in the goodness of people that genuinely care.”
The kindness of neighbors and strangers have crossed geographic boundaries more than Paradise perhaps could have envisioned.
Shane Wallen, a strength and conditioning coach for the 49ers, started a GoFundMe in Paradise’s honor. The link
was shared on social media by 49ers players, and to date nearly $29,000 has been raised toward a $50,000 goal.
The Warriors invited Paradise basketball players to a game against the Thunder.
San Diego resident Bob Wilson, who admitted he “didn’t know anything” about Paradise and “have never been there,” donated $1 million to the community, including $1,000 donations for every high school student and staff member.
Casa Roble, which will be playing for the D-IV CIF Sac-Joaquin Section title Dec. 1 against Rio Linda, started a fundraising effort for care packages for Paradise players and coaches. Its goal was $20,000. It has raised nearly $24,000.
During its postseason run, Casa Roble has worn “Paradise Invincible” helmet decals. After reaching its fundraising goal, the team traveled to visit with Paradise players and present them with proceeds.
Corner Canyon, the Utah Class 5A state champion, wore “PHS” decals for their state final game.
When Paradise senior cross country runner Gabe Price lost his chance to compete in a state qualifier because his family’s home and
business were destroyed, the CIF granted Price a second chance to qualify.
Fully expecting to run on an empty course with his coach and an official, word spread and Price was joined by runners from rival Chico, who acted as pacesetters and encouragement. Needing a 17:40 to advance, Price turned in a 17:12 and ran at the California state meet Nov. 24 in Fresno.
Because the air quality and conditions prevented Price from training closer, he joined Chico runners for training at the grandparents’ home of Chico’s Charlie Giannini five hours away.
“We’ve been racing against Gabe for all of our years,” Giannini told WBUR-FM, “and to see him not go to state, that would just be another tragedy on top of what’s going on.”
Paradise’s GoFundMe had to be shut down because there was such an outpouring of support over its $40,000 target.
“We feel we have reached the limit that we can responsibly handle and are closing the campaign,” Lighthall wrote. “There has been such an outpouring of support not only here, but from multiple charities and organizations.”
It reached a point at which Paradise’s gym was packed with donations.
On Nov. 13, through Facebook, Lighthall organized a community gathering at the school. The gym was full.
“It was an amazing night,” Lighthall wrote. “It seemed like the entire town was in attendance. The food was amazing. The donations were out of this world. The program was wonderful. But you know what? Just being together would have been enough.”
On Nov. 26, a boys and girls basketball doubleheader was played against Chico, with proceeds going to the Paradise athletic department.
The hope is school will reopen Dec. 3.
“We just rely on each other to keep each other up,” Cline told local media at the 49ers game. “We just love each other because that’s what we’ve done all year. We’re a great group of brothers.”
And a great example for feeling fortunate well beyond the gridiron — not only to have their lives, but the goodness of others in them.