Off-court assist: Classmates pitch in to help basketball player

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Friday, Feb. 22, 2002 | 11:13 a.m.

Students on Thursday placed $1, $5 and even $20 bills in brown paper bags, which were being passed around during fifth period at Durango High School in Las Vegas.

The students were trying to help a classmate, a senior awaiting a new kidney, likely to be donated by his father.

Martrel Johnson, 18, a forward on the school's basketball team, was diagnosed with kidney failure in December. Johnson's illness shocked the Durango High School community, where Johnson is uniformly admired as both an athlete and as an individual.

The news of Johnson's illness quickly spread through the student body, which at more than 2,500 makes Durango off Rainbow Boulevard in Spring Valley one of Clark County's larger high schools.

"It's a big place, but when something like this happens we all come together," said Eric Fleekop, senior class president. "I don't know anyone at Durango who doesn't know and like Martrel."

The volunteers collected more than $1,200 in just 50 minutes, said Durango Vice Principal Mardell Akins.

Dozens of students stopped by the school office and asked that the fund-raiser be continued a second day, Akins said. At Durango's weekly assembly today volunteers will be roaming the aisles, accepting donations, Akins said.

Sarah Lear, the Durango junior who is spearheading the fund-raising efforts, said she has never seen her high school's star basketball player on the court. She knows Johnson best as the tall guy from second-period geometry who always turns around from his seat, two rows ahead, to joke with her.

Johnson was hospitalized earlier this month with complications related to his illness, and by last week Lear said she was frustrated by the sight of his empty seat in math class.

"He's just an all-around nice person," Lear said. "It doesn't matter that we're not friends outside of class. I knew I had to do something."

Lear, with help from the student council and school administrators, began collecting money Thursday for a special account opened by Johnson's family. The students are also planning to conduct car washes and plan to sponsor a raffle.

Lear visited Johnson in the hospital earlier this week to tell him about her plans and to gain his approval. Her visit was a welcome surprise, Johnson said.

"It caught me off-guard, I wasn't expecting the school to really do anything," said Johnson. "I guess it's because I've always tried to give people respect and get it back. That's how I was raised."

Martrel's father on Thursday said that he is optimistic that he would be able to donate a kidney to his ailing son.

Martin Johnson said he is due back at the hospital March 23 for the final round of tests, and the transplant could be scheduled soon thereafter. His son is expected to be released from the hospital today.

"My tissue matches his, now I just have to show that I'm healthy," Martin Johnson said from his son's room at Valley Medical Center. "I think we're going to cover all the bases."

Johnson's senior season began with promise, as was the case in his first three seasons at the school. He was named to the homecoming court and voted "most admired" by his classmates. A full athletic scholarship awaited him at Montana State.

But in early fall came the first signs of trouble, unexplained backaches and exhaustion. By November Johnson found himself faltering on the court.

"Martrel would get winded, which never happened before. We thought maybe he was just out of shape," said Neil Bahen, a senior and guard on the basketball team. "Even then he still averaged 20 points a game."

Johnson, the "spirit and heart of the school," seemed tired and despondent, said teacher Mark Azevedo. During one first-period current events class Johnson told Azevedo he was worried that he couldn't get back on his game.

"I've never seen a kid so disappointed," Azevedo said Thursday. "Martrel thought everything he had worked for was slipping away because he wasn't trying hard enough."

Johnson's mother, Cheryl, and Durango basketball coach Al LaRocque knew better. Something was clearly slowing the 6-foot, 4-inch Martrel, although there was no way it was due to lack of effort. Johnson underwent a complete medical exam, and on Dec. 11 doctors told him he had chronic kidney failure.

Johnson said he views his illness as a setback that he will conquer. He plans to attend college in the fall -- Montana State is honoring his scholarship -- and eventually play basketball again.

"This isn't going to keep me down," Johnson said.