School raises money for 6-year-old in need of new heart

NORTH HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- As the old saying goes, the pen is mightier than the sword, but the students at a North Haven elementary school hope the penny is even mightier as they go to battle for a classmate in need.

"Is it something about your heart," asked News 8's Jeff Valin. 

"Yes," replied Matthew Jacques. 

"What do you need," asked Valin.

"A new one," Matthew said.

Six-year-old kindergartener Matthew Jacques already has three surgeries to his resume, including one at just 10 days old.

"He's the million-dollar baby," said Alphonse Jacques, Matthew's father.

For Matthew, heart failure has been a way of life and a threat to life all along, but his school mates at Montowese Elementary in North Haven are going to war for him, a "penny war." Each grade level is trying to out-do the others, raising funds for his mounting medical costs.

"It's very challenging emotionally, financially," said Melissa Jacques, Matthew's mother.

"We want all pennies in our jar, or dollar bills," said Lara Silvestro, Matthew's teacher. "Any silver coins deduct points, so at the end of the day we can be in the negative instead of the positive, but all said and done, the money is the money at the end of the week."

You'd never know his troubles to look at him.

"I'm happy," said Matthew.

"We don't want to limit him to what he can't do, it's what he can do," Melissa said. "And I think, with that attitude, he has a great attitude towards it."

There's no prize other than bragging rights and hopefully a life saved, which brings us to another reward that can't be counted.

"It's taught them a sense of community and coming together to help out each other," said Silvestro.

"To see the amount of support that we get from his teacher, from his classmates, from the school," Melissa said, it's extremely overwhelming, it's very heartfelt.

Spare change everyone hopes can spare a life.

"Do you think this will help you get one," asked Valin. 

"Yes," Matthew said.

Anyone interested in learning more about how you can donate, can contact Matthew's teacher Lara Silvestro directly by e-mailing her on the school's website .

A fundraiser is being held for Matthew on Saturday, May 4th from 1-4 p.m. at Zandri's (Stillwood Inn) in Wallingford. There will be a huge raffle, DJ, face painting and more.