Tusky Valley comes together for a needed home remodel

One play changed everything but after three months of recovery, Mayson White came home last week for the first time since his accident. White is the Tusky Valley High School football player who was paralyzed during a game at Waynedale High School Aug. 23. And thanks to community volunteers, when White was ready to come home, his home was ready for him.

The family home is multi-level so there were many steps throughout, a definite obstacle for Mayson White, who is currently using a wheelchair for mobility.

For area builder, Mario Ionno, and his crew there was no hesitation in their willingness to help. They wanted to make the home more handicapped accessible.

“We wanted to do the right thing, there was never any doubt,” Ionno said. “That’s just what you do whenever there’s a terrible accident.”

Ionno and his crew have helped out in other situations in the past, and Mayson’s story touched his heart. Ionno also attended school at Tusky Valley in his younger years.

Tuscarawas County pulls together as one community when needed. Soon after, Ionno heard that Buckeye Career Center was organizing volunteers to help, so he reached out to them.

Since Ionno and his crew had the experience and equipment to do many of the jobs, they found themselves working with a variety of volunteers including three football players from Waynedale High School, which is located in Apple Creek, and students from Buckeye Career Center, Tuscarawas Central Catholic and Claymont.

“Our community came together, and we had no problem getting volunteers,” Ionno said.

Others gave generous donations to ensure the project could be done at no cost to the White family.

The jobs were numerous and other volunteers and companies stepped up to help, including Brian Jacoby on dry wall patching, Holmes Tile installed the flooring, and Provia provided doors. Stocker Concrete donated the concrete and Larry Lowery of Lowery Painting donated his services too. Riddle Construction donated labor as did the Ionno crew volunteers, and many others helped with the remodeling project too. 

Some of the changes the crew made to improve access for Mayson White include:

 - Installing a wider door for the bathroom to improve entry and exit.

- Creating a new bedroom by building a wall to convert an open area into private accessible space.

- Putting in a steel door from the new bedroom directly to the garage for level access.

- Enlarging an archway to facilitate easier movement.

- Installing new concrete sidewalks to allow easier movement outside the home.

- Adding a new double door to the home.

There are still a few small details to finish up, but the volunteers felt the pressure and stepped up to complete the jobs when they knew Mayson would be returning home.

It was important to Ionno to get young people involved in the project to show the next generation that helping others and sticking together is what you do in a terrible situation. The remodeling projects were completed in less time than anticipated with the incredible amount of help.

Ionno has yet to meet Mayson White, but he hopes to do so soon.

Justin White, Mayson’s father, called the volunteer project to remodel their home amazing, and he was thankful for the expertise of Ionno, his son, Giovanni, and the volunteers for solving many of the accessibility challenges at their home.

“We wouldn’t have known what to do,” Justin White said. “They took the lead and have shown what the community is about. They have went above and beyond to help Mayson.”

United in spirit, the project left a lasting impression on everyone involved and demonstrated the positive change that can occur when people come together.