Matt Fumo played baseball while he was a student at Ocean City High School, but in the close-knit community of Ocean City students, he was well-known and liked by the members of the school's football team. Now, the football team is coming to his assistance.

Fumo, a 2017 graduate of Ocean City High, broke his neck in a swimming accident last Thursday.

Matt was set to play for Cumberland County College this year, a top Northeast junior college baseball program. Now he faces a potentially lengthy and uncertain recovery from his injuries.

As they begin training for the upcoming season, the Ocean City High Football team is stepping up to show their support for Fumo. The team posted this touching letter of encouragement and an appeal for help with the fundraising efforts for Fumo on their Facebook page.

Football is a small part of a larger network that carries us all along with it.

We are proud to play that small part, because -- at the end of the day -- things don't work unless everyone plays his role.

"In football everyone has to do his job for things to work," said Head Coach Kevin Smith.  "That is what gives it its power-- how interconnected, how very dependent we are on each other."

Raider Baseball player Matt Fumo, a 2017 graduate, was injured last Thursday. He broke his neck and has undergone emergency surgery and, thankfully, can move his arms and feel his legs.  "Matt didn't play football for us, but so many of our players have grown up with him," said Smith.  "His older brother, Zach, played for us and his family is known in our community."

Matt's breathing tube was removed on Monday. Miracles abound, brought forth by the skill and talent of these medical professionals. Ocean City High School students and alumni roam the halls at ACMC right now, taking responsibility for their classmate's, their teammate's, their friend's well being in whatever small way that they can.

"Matty Ice is a kid who wants the ball in a big spot," said Raider Baseball Head Coach Andrew Bristol. "As a hitter he struggled a little as a junior. No one worked harder in the off season to improve more than Matt."

"That hard work payed off as he became a first team all CAL outfielder who hit .400 as a senior. Hard work is something that has always been a part of Matt and will continue through out his life," Bristol said.

Matt and his family have a long road before them.  While we can't undo this, we -- as a community -- can help his family travel this road.  "A football program is supposed to bring a community together, and this is something worth coming together for. We should stand up for each other and help each other when we can," Smith said.

Raider Football has its Intrasquad Skills Competition on Thursday, July 27 at 6 p.m. and will gather, as its subset of this community, to celebrate the hard work, team work and honest work that our players have done. Please join us, if you have time, and celebrate our athletes, and all of the athletes in our community.  Raiders are Raiders, and Matt is one of our own.

We will seek to extend the GoFundMe drive for Matt's recovery to Carey Stadium. Buy a t-shirt, make a donation, gather to celebrate where we live and the responsibility we can take for our neighbors, classmates and teammates.  I

All proceeds from sales of our Raider Football T-shirts will go from our football family to support Matt Fumo's recovery fund. T-shirts will sell for $15 a piece -- or two for $20.

We have 100 to sell right now and hope to have none after Thursday's gathering.  

As of Tuesday morning, the GoFundMe page set up to help with Matt Fumo's medical expenses had raised over $46,000.

 

 

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