LINCOLN (SNR) – First-grader Sutton Kelly is known to all 315 students at St. Michael School in Lincoln.
“Sutton is a happy, outgoing, engaging first-grader who loves school, her friends, family, and her Catholic faith,” said principal Mrs. Sue Braun.
Sutton, who was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy with Respiratory Distress Type I, utilizes technology to complete most school-related tasks. She controls her wheelchair with the use of a hand-control joystick and is fully integrated into her first grade class of 18 students.
Sutton is truly a living miracle, as most children do not survive this disease beyond the age of 2. But as Sutton grew, she adapted to her physical challenges: a feeding tube, the insertion of spinal rods, and repeated bouts of pneumonia, including an ICU stay for a collapsed lung. Since that episode, Sutton has been ventilator-dependent, using a face mask to help her breathe.
Although these events have been daunting for Sutton and her family, they have seen signs of God’s presence in their lives.
When it was time to enroll Sutton in school, the decision to place her in a Catholic school was a given, according to her parents Mike and Sasha Kelly, who met at a junior high dance at St. Joseph School in Lincoln and graduated from Pius X High School in 2006. Sasha is the school secretary at St. Michael and the family also includes sister Leighton, born in 2016, and brother Henderson, born in September.
Some parents of children with special needs believe Catholic schools are not equipped to provide for the needs of their children, but for St. Michael School administration, there was no question whether the school would accept Sutton as a student. The school would make any adaptations in order to accommodate Sutton’s needs.
The building, constructed in 2010-11 has an elevator and is handicap accessible in every dimension. Additional adaptations to accommodate Sutton’s wheelchair and other needs were made in the school.
The organization GoShoutLove even provided a custom-made swing that allows Sutton to ride with her wheelchair and play with the rest of the children on the playground.
Sutton is thrilled to be able to be at Saint Michael School. She said it is “fun because everyone is kind and I have a wheelchair swing.”
However, in the last year Sutton has lost a lot of strength in her arms and has come to rely on voice-activated technology to control her wheelchair and other devices at school and at home. As with all children, Sutton desires to do what all children want to do: run, play and have full independence and mobility.
As her needs continue to change and develop, her parents have enlisted the help of therapists at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln. Madonna specialists have Sutton using several devices which allow her to control a computer or iPad with a head-controlled mouse and a straw-like button.
“The joy of Sutton’s face when she played a game independently on the computer for more than an hour without frustration or assistance was one of the happiest moments of my life,” Sasha said.
“Sutton didn’t get to take her first steps in the typical fashion we speak of, but we are lucky to have watched her take her ‘first steps’ in situations I could never have imagined,” she added.
Part of helping Sutton transition to new technology has included pursuing several devices, by trial use, to see which one worked the best for her. The cost of the new technology is $1,500, and a laptop and iPad were purchased in order to facilitate the voice-activated device. As the Kellys have many expenses associated with Sutton’s medical needs, they approached the Knights of Columbus Council #10913 at St. Michael Parish and asked if the council could help with the new technology.
When Grand Knight Dan Mickells presented the request to council members, he said their response was immediate and unanimous: of course they would help.
“As a council, so much of our success in fundraising has come from the parishioners of St. Michael’s,” Mickells said. “We have been blessed with an incredibly engaged and caring parish community.”
He added that charity is one of the bedrock principles of the order, and that the Knights have always supported people with disabilities. He called helping Sutton “a logical next step” for the council.
“Sutton has such an outgoing personality, so many members knew about her story,” he added. “Being able to help a family and give Sutton some sense of independence is something that truly made this Thanksgiving a blessing. When we presented the check, to see the joy and love in her heart and the happiness that she expressed made everything else happening in the world not so important!”
Mike and Sasha said they are incredibly grateful for the Knights’ assistance, and for prayers the Knights and other parishioners have provided in order to help Sutton become as independent as possible and helping make her life completely accessible. They are currently pursuing funding for an elevator or a lift in their home so that their daughter can have access to the entire house. 
Principal Braun echoed the Kelly family’s sentiments.
“The generosity of the St. Michael Knights of Columbus will allow Sutton to maintain her independence and continue to learn and grow as a first grade student and disciple of Christ,” she said.
Fr. Kenneth Borowiak contributed to this story.
