Photo Provided CADE HANNAHS and his parents Rachel and Chris got to meet Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier at an event through Shazier’s Foundation in Dec.

BARNESVILLE – Two communities. One heart.

Barnesville and Union Local met on the girls’ basketball court this past Thursday night, but prior to tip the two teams joined forces to help a young man working his way back from a serious health scare.

Cade Hannahs, a 2019 Barnesville High graduate, who suffered a spinal cord stroke last November, made his way to in front of the student bleachers moments before the Shamrocks and Jets tangled in the yearly battle for the milk trophy.

As he courageously trekked onto the court with the assistance of a walker, Hannahs was joined by members of both teams, their coaches, and a handful of students who came out for the contest.

Everyone lined up for a photo, with Hannahs front and center, standing out with a wide smile across his face.

It’s been a challenging few months for Hannahs and his family, a period made more comforting, however, thanks to support, not just from the Barnesville community, but from friends and neighbors up and down the Ohio Valley.

“That’s something that’s really cool about our communities,” said Amy Carvin, a Barnesville resident and close family friend. “This has really shown that everyone can come together.”

The love was on full display Thursday night.

A 50-50 took place during the game, with everyone contributing. A winning number was drawn, but no one came forward to accept the prize. So, all of the funds went to Hannahs and his recovery. That made everyone a winner.

“Caldwell (High School) even had a 50-50 and they donated all of the winnings to Cade,” Carvin noted. “He wasn’t able to be there, but his dad was because (Cade’s) younger brother is on the JV team.”

Yet another show of true sportsmanship.

Now, Hannahs’ story is truly an inspiring one, as is the community’s willingness to aid his cause. That’s where Carvin comes in. As administrator of the “Niner Strong” Facebook page, Carvin has been instrumental in helping get the word out about Cade’s story. That, in turn, has led to the said support, which she said has meant so much to the Hannahs family.

“It’s seemed to relieve stress on the family,” she explained about the social media site, which has nearly 1,800 people subscribed. “This allows everyone to go the page and get the facts on what’s going on.

“We knew it was going to be very overwhelming for them to respond to many text messages and phone calls. Everyone was so concerned and wanted to know how Cade was doing. It seemed like the most logical way to get information out to everyone so the family could make a post and let everyone know, at once, how Cade was doing that day.”

Carvin went to high school with Cade’s dad and was his mom’s cheering coach in high school, even though they’re almost the same age. The families share a deep bond. So when Cade and his family needed help, Carvin was one of the first to step up and pitch in. For her, the Facebook has been a perfect vehicle to let folks know of Cade’s condition.

“He has people following him, some of whom he’s probably never even met,” Carvin said.

And that’s fine, she said, because Hannahs is one of those kids who’s never met a stranger. An athlete with ties throughout the area, Carvin said Cade has touched many lives. Now, folks are returning the favor.

“It’s really been kind of overwhelming for them to see how many people really wanted to help,” Carvin said.

And assistance has come in many forms. In addition to the aforementioned 50-50s, numerous other financial functions have taken place, including a gun raffle and T-shirt sales. All, Carvin said, have helped ease the burden on the family.

“Chris and Rachel, they’ll go back to work, but now their focus is on Cade and this allows them to keep their focus on him and his getting stronger and more independent.”

And that’s something Carvin sees in Cade each time she sees him.

“I can’t tell where I had a conversation with him when I didn’t see a smile on his face,” she said. “Even if it wasn’t a good day, he’s still smiling and moving right along.

“He has determination, that’s for sure.”

If you know of someone in sports in the Ohio Valley whom I could feature as an Ohio Valley Unsung Hero, drop me a line at rthorp@timesleaderonline.com or via Twitter @RickThorp1