It’s the unofficial slogan of THON Sunday:
“The last four hours will change your life.”
All of the hype, the dancing, the cheering and the singing quiet down for a moment so THON can honor and remember the reason everyone has come together.
All of the previously empty seats in the nosebleed section are now full of parents, students and morale team members that rush to claim seats after their last shift. It’s hot and packed. Some people are sitting down, a big no-no if you’re sitting on the first level, where students stand in front of each other to make room for more.
“I never understood THON because I never knew what the whole thing was about,” said David Rufo, the father of a THON committee member. He traveled from the Philadelphia area to support his daughter on the last day of THON.
So what can you expect? The last four hours are filled with stories from Four Diamond Families, inspirational music and videos and crazy dance parties. The room is full of emotions: loss, hope, joy, and excitement. What’s most important is that everyone feels them together.
The juxtaposition of such extreme emotions can seem overwhelming. One minute there isn’t a dry eye in the house as people watch the Celebration of Life video. People show support with a shoulder squeeze, a back rub, or a hug. Exhausted dancers and moralers sway side to side or lean on each other. Then the next minute they’re dancing in a circle or punching beach balls into the air to a local favorite band, Go Go Gadget.
“It’s awesome that a school this big can help out so much,” said Traci Corra, a member of Rules and Regulations. It’s her last shift, but Corra has been at THON a total of 24 hours.
“I’m tired, but it’s worth it,” she said. Judging from the smiles, the hugs and the high-fives, you’d never know it. Forty-five hours down, only one more to go!
