Parkersburg South wrestler Justice Anthony looks on prior to a match at Winner’s Circle. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — The Parkersburg South wrestling family lost a loved one on Christmas Eve.

He never stepped on the mat as a Patriot but his fight trumps just about any performance turned in by any male or female wrestler at the school.

Baby Nolan, the son of Dustin and Anna Anthony and the brother of South junior wrestler Justice Anthony, beat the odds and gave the family the most treasured 5 ½ months they could ever ask for.

“We found out that Nolan was going to have trisomy 18 — also known as Edward’s Syndrome through a blood test in the first trimester,” said Dustin Anthony, who also coaches the 10-member girls wrestling team at South. “Typically, the reason you don’t hear about that syndrome, it’s usually fatal in the first trimester. Through what the doctors told us, we were warned. This wasn’t going to work out. We don’t know when.

“But he made it through the first trimester. He proved them wrong. He made it through a live birth. He proved them wrong. We never knew when he was going to pass. It was strictly in the Lord’s plan.”

Members of the Anthony family taken at Columbus hospitals. Front row from left: Kasyn, Anna with Baby Nolan and Landon. Back row: McKinzie, Dustin and Justice. (Photo Provided)

The funeral for Baby Nolan was held last Sunday. The entire South wrestling family attended, along with members from youth clubs that Justice and another younger brother competed for.

The Powerade Tournament was scheduled less than 24 hours later. Justice was in line for a third straight title.

“There was no doubt Justice was going to wrestle – when she puts her mind to train for something, when her motivation lines with her goals there is no stopping it,” Dustin said.

Justice beat who she was supposed to beat and stayed on track for a possible four-peat when she returns for her senior year.

“Someone at the funeral told me ‘Good luck and win this for him,'” Justice said. “I was able to put everything in the back of my mind. Told myself, I am right here in this building. Yes, there is stuff affecting me mentally, but I am here in this moment. This is what I’m doing and I know how to get it done.”

* * *

Soon after hearing the doctor’s prognosis, Dustin and his wife explained to their children from the outset the circumstances behind the syndrome. The family tried to go about their normal routine as best they could. With their mother in a Columbus hospital for months, their extended family of grandparents, aunts and uncles and so on served as their support system.

“With our family, we are open and communicate things between not only with my wife and myself, but also our kids,” Dustin said. “Everybody was fully aware what was going on. Everyone knew it was going to be hard. We just had to stick together and fight through it, and be resilient. Justice is the oldest and the most dependable, being the one who I could get ahold of the most frequently. Yes, I did put a little extra on her. But again, with the kids it wasn’t really needed.

“Luckily we have have a very large family, a very local family, so we were able to get a lot of help.”

With four children going different directions with their athletic endeavors and school activities, the family still managed to make constant road trips to visit Anna in the hospital. A year-round wrestler, Justice maintained her competition schedule. One trip took Justice and her father to Fargo, N.D. near the time of Nolan”s birth.

“Nolan was born the day after we got home from Fargo — it was nerve-wracking being 21 hours away,” Dustin said.

Nolan was welcomed into the world on July 17.

Justice remembers the day her mother and Nolan came home from the hospital. She was getting prepared for the Parkersburg-Parkersburg South wrestling dual. The date was Dec. 18. Less than one week later, Nolan took a turn for the worse.

“The night (before Christmas Eve), mom and dad sat us down – they said it’s not looking good,” Justice said. “They said they didn’t know how much longer, but it’s not looking good. I stayed in his room with mom and dad. I did have to leave at like 5 the next morning because I couldn’t sleep on the floor anymore.

“But I did stay in his room for most of that night.”

At one point, Dustin figures as many as 16 family members – immediate and extended – were gathered inside Nolan’s room. The size of the room measured 12×12.

“Since we knew what the situation was, everybody brought Christmas with them,” Dustin said. “So Nolan got to experience Christmas with his brothers, sisters and cousins. There was the opening of gifts. Everything you expect to experience on Christmas Eve, he got to experience that.”

Baby Nolan passed at 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.

“We are thankful,” Dustin said. “We were told not to expect any time with him. We were grateful, grateful for the 5 ½ months we got. Grateful for every second. As much as a tragedy as it was, we are grateful for the time we got with him.”

* * *

Baby Nolan was born at Ohio State University hospital then transferred to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Dustin can’t thank the staffs at the two facilities enough for the care they provided for his wife and Baby Nolan.

Granted, it was emotionally difficult when he had to leave during his visits with Anna. Yet, he knew she was in good hands.

“The birthing team at OSU was amazing; the staff at Nationwide was just incredible,” Dustin said. “You can’t beat the care and love they put into each patient. We were so grateful not only for the primary nurses, but the others who stepped in. Anna and I can’t thank them enough for what they did for our family.”

* * *

The grieving process continues for the Anthonys. They lost a daughter (Peyton) in February 2017. Baby Nolan’s gravesite will sit beside Peyton’s at the family cemetery. After sleeping in a recliner for the duration of her stay at the Columbus hospitals, Anna is seeing a chiropractor to get her realignment back.

Both Justice and her father commented how everyone in the family stepped up and answered the bell without any fuss. They grew as individuals.

“Wrestling has taught me a lot about perseverance,” Justice said. “Just when you think you can’t take it, yes you can. Just stand back up. You can do it. You may need to step away, but you can do it.

“That’s what this experience has taught me. (Nolan) was a little stubborn thing.”

With the spirit of Christmas, Baby Nolan gave his family a gift which couldn’t be wrapped.

“He taught us how to fight,” his father said.

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com’