May 19, 2000

As part of an unsusal Eagle Scout project, a 14-year-old Farmington, Utah, boy wants to raise money tomorrow to find out why his friend is dying. More on the story from Science Specialist Ed Yeates.

This was 14-year-old Andrew Grant's last photograph, taken earlier this year. The boy is now home dying from what appears to be a viral-caused encephalitis. Doctors don't know how he got it.

Reed Grant/Andrew's Father: "WELL, HE'S JUST DOWN TO THE LAST FEW WEEKS HE HAS TO LIVE. HE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH FUNCTION LEFT IN TERMS OF SPEECH. HIS EYESIGHT IS GONE. HE'S FED THROUGH A FEEDING TUBE."

Down the road from Andrew's house, his friends from Farmington Junior High School are getting ready to hold a 5K and 10K race to raise money. Matt Haws is organizing the event for his Eagle scout project - but even more, because Andy is his friend.

Matt Haws: "FIRST HE STARTED TO SLURR, THEN STARTED TO LOSE HIS ABILITY TO WALK AND IT WAS JUST REALLY HARD TO SEE HIM GO LIKE THAT. DIFFICULT FOR ME AND A LOT MORE DIFFICULT FOR HIS FAMILY I BET."

Five years ago, Andy was healthy, playing ball and riding a bicycle just like everybody else. He later played junior Jazz basketball with both Matt and Zach Pace.

Zach Pace: "HE ALWAYS HAS A SMILE ON HIS FACE AND HE'S A GOOD EXAMPLE TO EVERYONE. AND WHEN HE LEAVES, IT'S GOING TO BE HARD FOR EVERYBODY IN THE SCHOOL, I THINK."

Matt says all the money from the race will go to Primary Children's Hospital for neurological research in Andy's name, to help scientists find ways to save other kids with similar infections. Ryan Garrett hopes for even more.

Ryan Garrett: "I HOPE THEY CAN RAISE A LOT OF MONEY SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT A CURE FOR IT."

Ed Yeates, Science Specialist: "MATT AND HIS FRIENDS HOPE TO RAISE AT LEAST $2,000 IN TOMORROW'S RUN HERE. MATT SAYS HE WOULD LIKE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO BE OVERWHELMED WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TURNING OUT."