Benefit to help tumor patient

Photo

Matt Ritz

O’Donold’s will donate 20 percent of the proceeds to former Warren resident Matt Ritz and his family.

AUSTINTOWN — To know Matthew Ritz is to love him, says his mother, Nancy Ritz.

Friends and family of the 34-year-old Warren native hope that love is shown during a benefit event from 4 to 10 p.m. Aug. 29 at O’Donold’s Irish Pub and Grill in Austintown.

Ritz was diagnosed in May with Stage IV GlioBlastoma Multiforme, an aggressive type of primary brain tumor.

Christian Rinehart, owner of O’Donold’s, said he and others close to Ritz organized the benefit to help raise money for medical bills and other expenses. He said 20 percent of all profits made during the event will be donated to the family.

“He’s almost maxed out on his insurance,” he said. “We’re hoping to raise anywhere between $2,000 and $4,000. It’s more important that their household is stable because there’s a lot they need to take care of.”

Rinehart, who graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Warren with Ritz in 1993, said two live bands are slated to play, and patrons can bid in a silent auction and buy Ohio State memorabilia.

“We’re trying to make it a way to be more upbeat about the situation while raising money for a good cause,” he said. “I hope to do two or three more of these over the year.”

Ritz attended Ohio State University after high school and now resides in Columbus with his wife, Penny, and their three children, twins Andrew and Nicholas, 8, and Ryan, 4.

His mother, of Warren, said her son feels blessed to have so many people showing support.

“He’s really just tremendously surprised and happy that it’s happening and that they want to reach out to him and his family,” she said.

Her son has been through two surgeries: The first was to remove part of the tumor, and the second was to remove part of his skull to reduce swelling.

“Matthew was fine after the surgery and seems to be back to the way he was prior to,” she said. ‘He has been gaining a lot of strength. I know he has a lot of faith. ... Eventually the miracle will come.”

Nancy Ritz said what her son needs most is financial assistance because after August, the medical insurance he has through his former job will run out, and he won’t be able to collect disability until December at the earliest.

“His employer was very gracious to him from May until the end of August, but there was only so much they were able to do,” she said.

Rinehart said even people who don’t know Ritz personally should stop by O’Donold’s and contribute.

“You never know, and this kind of thing hurts everyone,” he said. “Why not come down and eat, have drinks. Most people go out on Satuday night anyway, so it should be nice to know the money you’re spending is being given to someone else.”

Ritz is described by both his mother and Rinehart as someone who is selfless and loved by everyone.

“He never had any enemies, and no one ever spoke a bad word about him,” Nancy Ritz said. She said what Ritz loves most of all is spending time with his family.

“He loves doing things with the children. Fortunately, he was able to get out of the hospital before the baseball season ended, so he got to watch his boys play ball,” she said. “It looks like they’re following in his footsteps, being good athletes. Now he’s going and watching football practices. He’s looking forward to the season.”

Nancy Ritz said though her son wants to attend the benefit, doctors still aren’t sure if traveling from Columbus to Austintown is the best thing for him.

“If he can’t be there in person, he most definitely will be there in spirit and heart,” she said.

“I know he really wanted to come. He was looking forward to seeing all the people he knows were going to be there — a lot of friends from school who have been in touch with him, and distant family members.”

For more information about the benefit event, contact Rinehart at (330) 270-2800.

efranco@vindy.com