VIDEO: Alabama High School Student In Need Of Heart Transplant

SULLIGENT, Ala.  An Alabama high school student is preparing for the battle of his life.

Sulligent High 9th grader, John Corbell is in need of a heart transplant.

“There’s just nothing else they can do with the heart he has,”said John’s mother Sabrina Corbell.

On October 13 of this year the Corbell family received some jarring news.

“I was really hoping to get different news besides that. I was hoping it would be something else but he said the transplant would probably be the next step,”said  John Corbell.

John’s mother Sabrina Corbell says the need for a heart transplant began way before that day.

“Well, he was born with a heart defect, an unbalanced A.V. Canal with pulmonary Atresia and we had no idea until he got here. He was immediately rushed to U.A.B. Birmingham.  At 6 days old he had his first surgery,”said Corbell.

It’s been a rough road for John since then.

“I’ve just been, the last few years, getting weaker. I haven’t been able to run and play as much with my friends at P.E. or outside. I haven’t been able to do as much with my friends, with sports and all that, I would always want to,”said John Corbell.

Since that first surgery, John has had to undergo several more procedures but Sabrina says he always keeps a good luck charm that helps him make it through.

“Each time that he has a procedure done he gets a bead that explains the situation. Just something for him because they go through so much these kids do,”said Sabrina Corbell.

John’s mother has been by his side since the beginning but the family says this tough time has been made just a little easier thanks to the outpouring of support.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, the community has been amazing. In the past 15 years this community has rose to the occasion for us in previous surgeries and nothing like the scale it is now and it is humbling,”said Sabrina Corbell.

“A bunch of my classes have sent cards and a lot of that stuff and I’ve gotten to hangout with some of my friends outside of school and all of them are just sending like notes, get well soon cards and hope to see you back at school,”said John Corbell.

The Corbell family is preparing to meet with transplant teams in the near future. If you are interested in making a donation they can be mailed to PO Box 46 Sulligent Alabama 35586.