- Tamba Traore, a 12-year-old with severe disabilities, needs an electric wheelchair.
- His teacher started an online fundraiser that has amassed nearly $5,000.
- They aim to secure it before Tamba’s sixth-grade graduation on May 19.
NORTH SALT LAKE — When Mamadou Traore first held his newborn son, Tamba, he didn’t think he’d survive the night. Born at just 1 pound, Tamba’s chances of survival were slim, and his dad said it was “hard for a parent to see.”
“We knew something was wrong,” Traore said, speaking about the day his wife went into early labor. “I called the doctor, and they said to take her straight to the hospital. We went to University of Utah, and at that time, my insurance wasn’t covering the University of Utah, and I had to go to Intermountain (Health). (My wife) gave birth, and Tamba was like (the size of) my cellphone.
“I said I don’t think he will make it … but this boy is really a fighter. He did everything, and he’s still alive.”…