Ovations. Laughter. Tears. Memories.
Hundreds of emotions floated throughout East Side Elementary Friday morning as Elizabethton City Schools System hosted Dr. Josh Wandell, his family and community members for the official dedication of the Wandell Early Learning Center located at the school.
Packed inside the East Side gymnasium, the public was treated to various stories of Dr. Wandell’s triumphs, whether it be in the classroom or his current mission of fighting through ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). During the hour-long presentation, students proudly donned custom made signs showing their support for their all-time favorite East Side Pirate.
“We’re thankful to have everyone here today,” Elizabethton Director of Schools Dr. Corey Gardenhour said. “He’s such an important part of Elizabethton City Schools, he means a lot to the East Side community and most of all, he cared for the children.”
Dr. Wandell served as principal at East Side from 2007-15. Even with his diagnosis in 2013, the East Side Pirate continued to make his career about the children as he provided a message of love and positivity to students before having to retire from his position.
Wandell was joined by wife, Tabitha, and other friends and family on stage and was treated to some emotionally, and at times funny, stories from past colleagues.
Elizabethton High School CTE Director Brian Culbert, who served as Friday’s featured speaker, shared some moments with attendees about his moments with Dr. Wandell, which drew a smile from the former principal. Most noticeably, Culbert added he’s still continually eating some crow after his time of cutting from T.A. Dugger’s middle school baseball team.
“He went on to play varsity as a freshman … people would say two-thirds of the world was covered by water, the other one-third by Josh. That shows what I knew,” Culbert said with a chuckle.
But the CTE Director gave an update of what Dr. Wandell meant to Elizabethton City Schools, describing him as a principal that “pushed the envelope” by encouraging student health, education and being a positive role model.
Before stepping down from the podium, Culbert recalled the popular message of Team Wandell “Faith over Fear”, and thanked Tabitha and Josh for their constant support by adding the “Elizabethton City Schools loves you.”
Even though the ability to speak is gone, Dr. Wandell comprised a speech, which was read by Tabitha, thanking each and everyone one for support and stressing that hopefully his story has been able to make a difference in people’s lives.
If Team Wandell’s online presence is any indication, that seems to be the case.
Stories of Dr. Wandell’s triumph are being widely shared across the web thanks in part to www.wandellsfaithoverfear.com – a blog that is being operated by the Wandell family and Dayla Hurley documenting moments of the family’s mission to inspire others.
Hurley spent days leading up to the dedication ceremony interviewing Wandell’s former students about the principal and shared their different responses with the Elizabethton Star Friday evening.
• “I like to think of him (Dr. Wandell) just as he was before ALS because a disease may change your abilities, but it will never change you as a person,” – Jayci Bowers.
• “He was a friend to everyone and he taught me to not look at the outside of a person and judge, but instead to look at the inside and find the good in everyone,” – Mikah Nix.
• “He’s showed me that no matter what obstacle we face in life, we will always have God,” – Olivia Holly.
• “Dr. Wandell said to me more than once … ‘You are so strong and brave Mary’. I want Dr. Wandell to know that I think he is the strongest and bravest person I know and that I love him. He truly is an inspiration and my life is blessed by having him as my friend principal and friend,” – Mary Weddle.
Even at Friday’s event, Dr. Wandell was surprised by East Side’s Girls on the Run, who he is running with Saturday, with a $600 donation to assist with his ability to race.
Elizabethton Board of Education Chair Rita Booher concluded the ceremony by thanking Dr. Wandell and encouraging the public to continue raising awareness for ALS research. Ways of raising awareness locally include the Race for Wandell, which is coming up in the near future, she added.
For more information about Dr. Wandell’s story or upcoming events, visit the Team Wandell Facebook page online.