Playing for Wyatt benefit seeks to help other young cancer patients

A trumpet reverberated across the tin walls Sunday night in Stooges Restaurant as Alex Amelunke, lead vocalist for Old School Hype, played the first few bars of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."

The band was one of more than a dozen that took the stage for the Playing for Wyatt benefit.

Wyatt Glastetter was a 3-year-old Jackson native who died Feb. 26. He was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare childhood disease in which a solid tumor is formed by nerve cells called neuroblasts. Normally, the cells grow and mature into functioning nerve cells, but in neuroblastoma, they become cancer cells. He was diagnosed with the disease when he was 18 months old.

A sign for the Playing for Wyatt benefit at Stooges Restaurant in Jackson. (Glenn Landberg)

On the counter inside the restaurant's door was a fish tank filled with checks, change and dollar bills, all going to help other children suffering from neuroblastoma.

"The outpouring of support from the community has just been tremendous," organizer Ron Cook said. "We had 120 different gifts for the silent auction and the live auction that people donated."

Cook had hoped they would raise at least $5,000 from the event. Before it had begun, $1,800 in tickets had been sold.

In addition to live music for seven hours, the crew at Stooges and members of Wyatt's Warriors -- a support group of Glastetter's friends and family -- held two auctions and donated their time. Also, half the money from food and beverage sales were collected for the fundraiser.

The money went to the Glastetter family, who in turn will use it to buy iPads for other children who are diagnosed with neuroblastoma.

Cook and his staff, friends and family want to help the Glastetters bring a little joy into the lives of fellow families suffering from the disease.

"When [patients] first get their diagnoses with neuroblastoma, they're donating iPads out," Cook said. "Wyatt had a blue iPad and a blanket, too. Blue was his color; he had a blue iPad, and he just loved it. He had it with him everywhere he went, and they want to send one anywhere when they get their first diagnosis."

Cook said five iPads were sent out last week, and Wyatt's mom, Stacy, set up a Facebook page, Be Wyatt Kind, to support the cause.

Cook had never met Stacy until the day before Sunday's event. After seeing a video after Wyatt's death, he knew he should do something.

"The video they posted on Facebook after Wyatt passed away, just pictures of his life, it tugged at my heartstrings," Cook said. "I thought, as Jackson's community, we needed to do something. We always have live music here on Tuesday and Thursday nights, and I knew I had the connections with all the musicians if they would get together and donate their time and their tips for this cause."

One of the acts, Barnett and Gurley, traveled more than 80 miles to play Sunday. Dennis Gurley is no stranger to the Jackson area, and said he's played at Stooges many times.

He and his partner, Mike Barnett, are from Hayti and Caruthersville, Missouri. The duo said they enjoy interacting with small crowds such as the one at Stooges.

"We have fun," Gurley said. "We're serious songwriters, but it just ain't in us to stay serious if the crowd's there.

"It's just really great for people to take the time out and come raise a little money for Wyatt and his family."

smaue@semissourian.com

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pertinent address:

507 W. Main St, Jackson, MO 63755