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Hundreds attend benefit for boy, 5
Photo
Quentin
By Sean Barron
YOUNGSTOWN
A snapshot of life for the Larets shows a family that enjoys bowling, picnics, gatherings with friends, visiting the local park, baseball games and many other everyday activities.
In most respects, their lives are quite typical — which, to Kimberly Barnett-Laret, is precisely the point.
“He’s like any other child, but he has to deal with something he has no control over,” Barnett-Laret, of Pataskala, Ohio, said about her 5-year-old son, Quentin, who was born and diagnosed at 18 months old with neurofibromatosis, a genetic nervous-system disorder that affects mainly neural development. It causes tumors to form on the nerves that, in rare cases, could become cancerous.
Another thing the youngster had no control over was the number of family members, friends and supporters who came to Sunday’s five-hour spaghetti- dinner benefit for him at St. Brendan Church’s Maxwell Hall, 2800 Oakwood Ave., on the West Side.
Hundreds of people attended the gathering, the main sponsor of which was the Knights of Columbus 3930, to help with medical and other expenses.
Barnett-Laret, an Austintown Fitch High School graduate who’s an in-home day-care worker, said Quentin also loves to attend the baseball games of his 7-year-old brother, Brendan, and visit the concession stands.
“Quentin is a charmer. As soon as you meet him, he reels you in,” his mother continued, adding that the 5-year-old also has a strong faith in God.
The family is aware that the boy has good and rough days but is committed steadfastly to ensuring he maintains the highest quality of life, she explained.
During his young life, Quentin has endured 14 surgeries, noted his father, Matthew Laret, a high-school science teacher and Chaney High School graduate. On April 3, the family is to see three surgeons at a Cincinnati hospital to determine what’s next for the child, Matthew explained.
“We don’t let this hold him back from being a normal boy,” Matthew said of the tumor that covers a large portion of the right side of Quentin’s face. “You can let this hold you back, or just live your life, so obviously, we choose life.”
Other sources of pleasure for Quentin are spending time outdoors with neighborhood friends, playing with Lego toys and learning to ride his bicycle, Matthew continued, adding that Batman is one of his son’s main heroes. To that end, the Caped Crusader made an appearance at Sunday’s dinner.
“He’ll be crazy, and he’ll be nice, and he likes toys like Batman,” Brendan said of his younger brother.
Brendan, a Pittsburgh sports fan and lover of the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team, said he and Quentin get along well and that they enjoy playing with friends.
One of those who came to support the Laret family Sunday was Ed Port of Austintown, who perhaps better than anyone knows what the family is dealing with.
Port, who also has neurofibromatosis, has undergone several operations, with another tentatively set for June in Chicago. In addition, Port has befriended several Laret family members, some of whom assisted with his fundraising efforts last year at the Canfield Fair.
Port noted the Larets will face inevitable setbacks and difficult times, but advised them to realize that they can overcome obstacles and that hope is always there. Port also said he was pleased with the progress he’s made fighting his tumors.
“I’ve met a lot of people who took a second look and said, ‘You’re Ed, right?’ It’s been a marvelous transformation,” he added.
In addition to rallying around the Laret family, Sunday’s turnout is another shining example of how many Mahoning Valley residents reach out to others facing challenging circumstances, said Tony Velasco, Knights of Columbus 3930’s grand knight and an event organizer.
“It’s enough to make you cry,” Velasco said. “That’s the God’s honest truth.”
The total amount of funds raised was not available Sunday night.