Ozark High School Students Raise Money For Sick Custodian

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    OZARK, AR (KFSM) — A custodian at Ozark High School is close to coming home after spending two weeks fighting for his life after getting a flesh-eating bacteria from a cut.

“He has such a great heart and he is so good with these kids, he’s amazing with these kids,” Phyllis Archer.

Rusty Pearson or Mr. Rusty as everyone calls him has been working at Ozark High School for nearly 20 years, serving as a custodian and driving a school bus.

Phyllis Archer is also a custodian and bus driver at the school. She says Mr. Rusty is an all-around amazing man.

“He give you hand hugs and he gives these kids fist bumps and he prays with them and he talks with them,” Archer said.

Two weeks ago today, Mr. Rusty was airlifted from Ozark to a Little Rock hospital and has been there ever since.

Doctors think what made him so sick was a thorn in his thumb that caused him to become septic. He underwent three surgeries.

Archer says his survival rate was very low.

“With all the prayer and all these people pulling together at the school, at the churches, at the community, our community where we live, all over they prayed and good doctors he is in his own room now and may get to come home today or tomorrow,” Archer said.

The students at the high school pulled together for Mr. Rusty by getting local businesses to donate items for a raffle, so they can give him that money to help with his medical expenses.

“Mr. Rusty is always there when you need him and he’s never in bad mood it seems like. He’s always there trying to help people,” student Robert Pack said.

Pack says Mr. Rusty is loved by everyone and is irreplaceable, that’s why they wanted to help him just like he is always there to help them.

“The whole community has been coming together to help Mr. Rusty really because everyone knows him, because people’s kids tell them about him because he’s such a positive guy people know him and people are there to help, it’s how a community should act when one of them are in trouble,” Pack said.

The raffle tickets will be available to buy until December 18 at the community center and the Franklin County Judge’s office.

You can sign up to win prizes like a TV and gift cards, all while helping Mr.Rusty and his family.

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