Tony Leonard was a little more than a day removed from
surgery to remove a tumor in his abdomen.
By Jaclyn Shambaugh (Fayetteville Observer)
Cape Fear junior Austin Leonard, a part of the Colts’ state
runner-up football team in the fall, knew his father, Tony Leonard, wouldn’t be
home to see him off before his first prom Saturday.
Tony, little more than a day removed from extensive surgery
to remove a tumor in his abdomen, is in recovery at Duke.
No problem. Austin and girlfriend Bobbie Machelle Cox took
prom to him.
“Austin asked if him and his girlfriend could get all
dressed and come surprise him,” said Christy Leonard, mother to Austin and four
other sons with Tony. “Take prom to him.”
The couple donned their tux and gown and showed up Friday in
Tony’s hospital room, giving him a chance to see Austin and Bobbie in their
best a day before Cape Fear’s prom.
“It was Austin’s idea but Bobbie’s mom, Heather Smith, made
it happen,” Christy said. “It still makes me cry when I think about it. Tony
was hiding his tears last night when he saw Austin.”
The Leonards have been advocates for stomach cancer
awareness since Tony’s initial diagnosis in January 2012.
The couple organizes an annual golf tournament, Debbie
Dream’s Foundation Golf Tournament, to raise money for stomach cancer research.
Through their efforts, North Carolina legislators have
declared November “Curing Stomach Cancer Month” three straight years.
Tony has had multiple surgeries, including the removal of
his stomach a month after his diagnosis.
During his most recent surgery, performed Thursday, doctors
removed his spleen and parts of his pancreas and colon to remove the tumor.
“It’s going to be a long recovery,” Christy said. “But I
think this might be a prom that will never be forgotten by Austin or Tony.”
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