CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. — Friends and classmates in Mount Pleasant are rallying around 17‑year‑old Ruthie O’Brien, a rising senior at Mount Pleasant High School who is fighting for her life after complications from Guillain‑Barré syndrome.
Loved ones say Ruthie first developed the rare neurological condition in February after what seemed like a normal cold or flu.
She appeared to be recovering, even working hard to get back to her normal routine.
However last Thursday, she went into cardiac arrest, shocking her family and community.
Ruthie’s cheer coach, Paige Ervin, describes her as the lighthearted one who keeps everyone laughing.
Family friend and basketball coach Graham Pruette says they believed she was “in the clear” before her sudden setback.
On Tuesday night, more than 540 people gathered at Community Church of Mount Pleasant for a prayer vigil.
Ervin and Pruette say the vigil gave students and friends a chance to support one another during an incredibly difficult time.
“Just being able to be together helped provide a little bit of peace,” Ervin said. “Her family was in great spirits. Her sisters were in attendance.”
“To give them an outlet to ask questions, to be together in community — people are behind them,” Pruette added.
Family and friends say they are praying for a miracle. Over the weekend, a CT scan brought serious concerns about whether Ruthie would survive.
But a later test offered more hope, giving the community something to hold onto as they continue to support her.
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