New Jersey high school football star’s toughest opponent isn’t on the field

Last Friday, Jodi and I joined our friends to watch the Central Regional high school football team take on South Toms River in a great American tradition of Friday Night Lights.

The game itself was exciting, and the kids fought hard up and down the field.

Photo via Bill Spadea

Nostalgia meets reality at Central Regional High School game

The players played hard, coaches were intense and the cheerleading squad helped keep the crowd engaged.

Photo via Bill Spadea & Canva

It was fun and exciting and brought us back to a few short years ago when our kids were in high school and our son played on the Princeton High School football team. It is a slice of Americana that we truly appreciate and support.

There was one player, however, who could not take the field for Central. No. 29, Dayton Frulio, who is a 17-year-old senior battling brain cancer.

He and his family were on hand to cheer on the team and ask spectators for help.

Photo by Bill Spadea

How you can help Dayton Frulio and his family 🙏

His parents both teach in the school district and his twin sisters attend Central as sophomores. The family needs financial assistance as they go through this difficult journey.

I'm asking that you pray for Dayton and his family and give any amount you can to directly help this Jersey family in need.

Here's a video the family put together, and below is a statement from Dayton's cousin found on the fundraising site.

Thanks for your consideration.

From Dayton's cousin's GoFundMe Page:

As most of you have probably previously read, my cousin, Dayton, is facing a very aggressive brain cancer diagnosis. He has undergone 2 invasive brain surgeries within just over a month, along with physical therapy to recover from said surgeries. His fight is far from over with chemotherapy and radiation treatments on the calendar in the coming weeks.
Dayton is 17 years old and a senior at Central Regional High School. Prior to being hospitalized, he was gearing up for his senior football season at school. He has somehow maintained his usual funny and positive attitude and has been unbelievably brave throughout this entire process. He is an amazing kid who comes from an amazing family.
Both of Dayton’s parents teach within the Central Regional school district, and his twin sisters attend Central Regional HS as sophomores. The Frulios are an extremely involved family, with all 3 kids playing sports and receiving accolades in school. They have donated countless time and money to the Autism speaks foundation, and are all around the best kind of people. They are always the first to give back and help others in need. It is now their turn to be helped.