Community Corner

Wrestling Tourney in Boy's Memory 'A Beautiful Thing,' Mom Says

Hundreds of people filled the Moorestown High School gym for the Sean Fischel Memorial Wrestling Tournament.

Sean Fischel never cared much about whether he was winning or losing his wrestling matches—he just wanted to have fun. But he was definitely a winner Friday night.

Hundreds of people gathered inside the Moorestown High School athletic center Friday for a wrestling tournament held in Sean's honor. The tiny 7-year-old—who always had a smile on his face, according to those who knew him—died last month after losing a long battle with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), an extremely rare immune system disorder. 

Ed Nice, president of the Grapevine Youth Wrestling League, of which Sean was a member,organized the tournament in the boy's honor. All the proceeds went to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

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Sean's mother, Kimberley Muse Fischel, called the gathering in her son's honor "a beautiful thing."

"The love and support this community is offering and giving us now and continually, is unparalleled," she said. "And it’s just the legacy that Sean is leaving all of us, just being more aware of one another, and to continually appreciate people, and to give more. Sometimes it takes a tragedy for people to realize what’s important in life."

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Only minutes earlier, Fischel broke down in tears after being presented, alongside the rest of her family, with a plaque in honor of Sean and being told the league had created a $500 scholarship in her son's name, to be presented each year to the most courageous high school wrestler. 

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