A job to fill the hole in her heart
Sickle cell anemia took her grandson last year, when he was 13. Now she's set up a foundation to help other families who face the same nightmare.
By MARYAN PELLAND
Published October 3, 2005
Eva Mobley of Brooksville made it through a year without her grandson, Eric T. Adams Jr.
Desperate for a way to mark his short life and keep her sanity, she established the EJ Has a Right to Play Foundation.
EJ stands for Eric Jr. From the time he and his sister, Desiree, were born, Grandma Eva, who raised them, knew the possible outcome of them having sickle cell anemia. Eric died at 13 years old. He was an eighth-grader at Parrott Middle School.
"Believe it or not," Mobley said, "I was sitting at the cemetery last year just boo-hooing my eyes out. I go every day. And all of a sudden it was different."
She said she grew more calm and felt her grandson talking to her.
"It's not like I heard him or anything," she said. "I more felt that he was telling me he was fine now, but I could help other kids - someone else needed me."
Mobley, 47, was surprised at how many kids in Hernando County have the disease. That galvanized her to action.
Her foundation benefits the football team Eric couldn't join and the Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital in Orlando, where Eric spent much of his childhood. Her seed money came from a fundraiser she and her family orchestrated in January. They have two more planned. Mobley realized she's a terrific organizer.
"It's all in Eric's name," she said. There's pain in her voice, but she said it's easier to survive when you connect with people who know what the disease is like. It's about children in pain.
According to the American Sickle Cell Anemia Association, the disease is an inherited blood disorder, characterized by chronic anemia and episodes of pain. Red blood cells enlarge, cause blockages and die off sooner than the body can replace them.
It's a nightmare, Mobley said. Often, more than one child in a family has the condition.
Desiree and her grandmother must face the possibility of a poor outcome for Desiree. So the first mission of the foundation is support for families with the illness - education about help and treatment.
"Sickle cell doesn't just strike black Americans," Mobley said. "It's common in Asians, mixed-heritage people and other groups, too. We want to get the word out that there is help."
But that didn't feel like enough, and the success of her opening fundraiser showed Mobley she could do more. She needed a job that would fill the big space left in her heart.
"My grandson Samuel Adams is playing football now at Parrott Middle School, in Eric's memory," she said. "Eric never could. I'm going to make money to bless that team so they can get things they need. The rest will go to the hospital - they've been so good to my kids."
The foundation has its legal papers filed, Mobley said. The tax-exempt designation is on the way. To mark the anniversary of Eric's death, there will be a gospel concert Oct. 30 at the Hernando County Fairgrounds featuring Brooksville's Gospel Choir and the Bethune-Cookman College Choir from Daytona Beach.
On Dec. 17, at the fairgrounds, the foundation will present Lee Williams and the Spiritual QCs from Tupelo, Miss.
--Tickets are available at EJ's Fashions, 416 N Broad St. in Brooksville. Information is available from Annie Rogers at 796-5860.