When John Flaugh was asked by his parents and volunteers for On With Life, Marcia and Rich Flaugh, if he would be interested in getting involved in the Giant Strides Campaign, there was no hesitation. For John, the connection to On With Life has been there since the doors first opened and the first person served, Matt Hanke, was admitted.
Not only did John want to get involved in supporting On With Life’s growth, but he wanted to do so in honor of his friend and teammate, Matt.
Matt was injured in a car accident in July of 1990 then knocked unconscious during an Ankeny High School football game in August of 1990. The timing and impact of these two injuries was significant
– it is now referred to as “second impact syndrome.”
Though Matt never fully recovered and unfortunately passed away in 2007, he continues to be an inspiration to everyone who knew him. John asked his longtime friend and fellow teammate, Dave Cowman, to be a co-sponsor in launching a fundraising effort to honor Matt by naming a room in the new facility after him.
“Our strategy was to get a bunch of people involved – even if they could give just $50 - $100,” John said. “We wanted to commit to a big number ($50,000) to create impact around it, then just get as many people involved as we could.”
Matt was a superstar football player and team leader, and the circumstances of the tragedy really brought the guys together as a close-knit team. Dave said “Matt getting hurt really bonded the team together. Every Friday, before the game, 15-20 of us would go to the hospital to see him.”
Now, thirty years later, that experience continues to bond Matt’s fellow classmates and football teammates together.
“We’re fortunate that we had more than twenty individuals come together to honor
the memory of Matt with a contribution to the Giant Strides Campaign,” said John. “Giving in this way not only helps On With Life expand its programming and overall footprint, but we believe it’s more meaningful to give directly to an organization that we’re personally connected to.”
Dave and John met their $50,000 goal, and the Family Conference Room in the new facility will be named in memory of Matt Hanke and in honor of the connections that he brought to his fellow classmates, as well as the Ankeny community.