Community Comes Together To Support Teen's Fight Against Lymphoma

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A local teen battling a form of lymphoma was reminded Sunday that he is not fighting alone.

The community came together to support the 18-year-old Trinity High School student.

Holding hands with family, Mitch Zavallo says he never expected to be where he is today.

Instead of celebrating his 18th birthday with friends last month, he learned that he had a form of lymphoma and has been receiving chemotherapy.

The community has rallied around Zavallo who's also active with the ROTC. Sunday, so many turned out for the spaghetti dinner at the Bentleyville VFD to help Zavallo and his family while he fights Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma - a fast moving and aggressive form of lymphoma.

"I think it's been very overwhelming and amazing," Zavallo said. "A momentum booster, seeing all my support out here. Really helps me keep fighting every day."

The event was organized in part by Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone.

Mitchell's mother works in the District Attorney's Office, and they wanted to help out in some way.

"We decided to do something to help him and the community response has just been phenomenal," Vittone said.

"I agreed to this event as a morale booster for him so he knew he had an army behind him. And it's just been overwhelming," Hollie Zavallo said.

Mitchell says he is blown away by the support of the community. And his mother wants to one day return the love and support to someone else.

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