Miranda Coll / Special to The Citizen

MORAVIA - On Saturday, the friends and family of Joel Stockton came together at the Moravia Fire Department to laugh, love, and show their support for the 13-year-old whose July 4 accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Joel had been swimming at a friend's house when his head hit the bottom of the pool, shattering the fifth vertebrae in his neck and leaving him without sensation in his lower body.

Joel's second cousin, Brenda Meade, took it upon herself to organize the event to help the Stockton family purchase a van with a wheelchair lift, renovate their home to make it more handicapped accessible, and pay off outstanding medical bills.

Local businesses donated raffle prizes, a bake sale was held, and the family sold many plates of spaghetti.

“Everyone here has done a really amazing job,” said Meade, “everyone's been so wonderful.” Joel's mother, Cheryl Stockton, agreed.

“The whole family has been great,” she said, smiling.

It seemed as if all of Moravia was there to show their support for Joel, including his life-long friend Matthew Sodocool, the person who rescued Joel from the pool.

“He's the hero,” Joel's father, Craig Stockton, said, gesturing toward Matthew, who smiled modestly. Joel shared that his friends have been incredibly supportive throughout his recovery, helping him focus not on the past, but on his bright future.

Formerly an avid sportsman, hunter and musician, Joel now has dreams of flying high. “I want to be a pilot,” he says. His father explained that there are certain planes that can be flown by pilots with physical disabilities and that the family is exploring flight schools in the area.

“I just want everyone to know,” said Meade, “that Joel has such a great attitude about this. He's not talking about if he'll walk, it's when.”