Murrieta Boy, Charger Player Team Up For Benefit Concert

San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Larry English and 12-year-old Carey Poindexter of Murrieta have something in common: they both struggle with asthma.

The pair met at an American Lung Association event last spring, and are now teaming up for "An Evening of Champions," to be held at 6 p.m. tonight at the Hall of Champions in San Diego.

One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the benefit concert will go toward creating awareness about asthma in young people, with 50 percent going to the American Lung Association and 50 percent going to English's nonprofit foundation, L.E.A.D. (Leading Education to Athletes for their Dreams).

Having struggled with severe, chronic asthma complicated by many food and other allergies, Carey is a youth ambassador for the American Lung Association. The event tonight leads into the ALA's Fight For Air 5K Walk Sunday in Embarcadero Park, San Diego, for which Carey has 55 team members signed up to walk in.

According to his mother, Vikita Poindexter, it also kicks off a birthday week celebration, as Carey will be turning 13 on Nov. 20--despite doctor's saying he would not live past 10.

Carey was born without antibodies, and has been hospitalized 26 times, not counting trips to the emergency room.

"He basically lived in the hospital until he was 6 or 7," Vikita said, adding that he has developed more antibodies as he has aged.

The last time he was hospitalized was in April, when his lung collapsed after he contracted pneumonia.

"That was pretty severe, he was in intensive care," she said.

Surgery helped repair the lung.

Carey takes seven medications daily to maintain his disease. Because he is allergic to most foods, such as all tree nuts, beef, and dairy, he is home-schooled.

That leaves him enough time to work on his duties as a youth ambassador, which includes speaking at schools and other functions.

"You just can't let it get you down," is Carey's motto.

In addition to learning about lung disease to help her son fight it, Vikita lost her mother to lung cancer. She said her drive is to reach as many parents as she can by sharing her own experiences.

"People fail to understand that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths," Vikita said. "We have our challenges with the air we breathe--asthma and COPD are becoming more and more prevalent, and it is a shame people are dying just because of the lack of knowledge.

"I hadn't heard about asthma, I hadn't heard about food allergies. As a family you have to come together and manage the disease. It is not a hindrance if you maintain it.

"My hero is him, I don't know if I could endure what he goes through."

Susan English, Larry's mother, spoke to Patch on behalf of Larry's organization. Susan is the president and CEO of L.E.A.D., and said while Larry's asthma in no way compares to what Carey has suffered from, her son, 25, does have to take his inhaler and medication before every game.

Up until Larry was 6 or 7, Susan said they believed he had food allergies. He was then diagnosed with asthma.

Therefore, she said one of L.E.A.D.'s missions, in addition to mentoring underprivileged kids, is to promote asthma screening.

"We want kids to know there is no shame in having asthma," Susan said.