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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate NEWS NOW Easing the pain ... Lithia Christmas Faire set Thanksgiving weekend ... ScienceWorks explores the science behind 'Back to the Future' ... Easing the pain ... Lithia Christmas Faire set Thanksgiving weekend ... ScienceWorks explores the science behind 'Back to the Future' ... ASHLAND HIGH SCHOOL Easing the pain Friend of Michael Ivory's mother raising funds to cover funeral expenses By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Follow @@ADTsports DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Follow @@ADTsports Posted Nov. 20, 2015 @ 8:26 pm By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Follow @@ADTsports Posted Nov. 20, 2015 @ 8:26 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> It’s been almost three weeks since Michael Ivory, a 17-year-old Ashland High School junior, died unexpectedly after losing consciousness while being rushed to the hospital. And while the grief for his family is still raw, a close friend of Ivory’s mom is trying to ease the pain by raising funds to help pay for funeral expenses and other costs. Melissa Johnson, who has known Ivory’s mom, Christy Ivory, since she moved here from Utah four years ago, has set up a memorial fund at Rogue Credit Union in an effort to help cover the cost of the funeral and transporting Michael Ivory’s body to St. George, Utah, so he could be buried next to his uncle. Johnson says the fund has raised about $2,000 so far, which is still about $5,000 short of the total bill. Christy Ivory, 44, is a single mother — Michael Ivory is survived by three younger siblings — who’s working toward acquiring a master’s degree from Southern Oregon University. She’s on pace to graduate in June. According to Johnson, Michael Ivory had been sick for about a week leading up to his death and went to see a doctor, who tested Ivory for a possible blood clot. After nothing conclusive was found, Ivory returned home. Then on the night of Nov. 1, a Sunday, Christy Ivory woke up to the sound of her son gasping and suffering “seizure-like symptoms.” “So she called 9-1-1 and then (Michael Ivory) came out of it,” Johnson said. “And then he had another episode, came out of it again, and then the third time he never regained consciousness.” Ivory was rushed to the hospital but probably died en route, and the cause of death was listed as “embolism,” according to Johnson. “We don’t know (what happened),” Johnson said. “That’s the million-dollar question. It was shocking. Beyond shocking.” After word spread that Ivory had passed away his friends, from both school and the church he attended, gathered at his home at SOU’s Old Mill Village family housing complex that night and staged an impromptu candlelight vigil. Johnson said teachers and community members also showed up, and it was beautiful. “Probably 100, 150 people came and we just sang songs and lit candles and shared memories,” she said. About 300 people attended the funeral service four days later on Nov. 6. The pallbearers wore Marvel comics lapel pins in honor of one of Ivory’s passions — Ivory was an avid movie fan who aspired to become a film director, and he especially admired the recent spate of movies based on Marvel comics. “It was really hard,” Johnson said of the funeral. “At most funerals you feel a sense of closure, but I think because he was so young and it was just so shocking, it felt unbelievable. It just didn’t feel like it really happened.” Ivory was an active boy scout who had volunteered at SOU’s Schneider Children’s Center to fulfill his community service requirements for AHS. Caring for children wasn’t anything new for Ivory, who often looked after his younger siblings — a sister at Ashland Middle School, another sister at Walker Elementary and a 4-year-old brother — so that his mom could keep up on her studies. “He just had a huge heart, big fun-loving kid,” Johnson said. “You kind of had to crack his exterior a little bit, but then once you got in you were in for life. And he was a fun, great big brother. He helped his mom out so much. He really is what made it possible for her to be a single mom. Just a really good kid.” “Mike had kind of a hard shell to crack when you first met him,” said his friend Jacob Johnson, who is Melissa Johnson’s son, “so not a lot of things were known about him (at first). He was just quiet, but once you got to know him he was pretty open. … He was kind of like a movie critic. He always had an opinion on shows or movies. He also loved his digital media class (at AHS).” Donations can be made by going to any Rogue Credit Union branch and making a donation to the Michael Ivory Memorial Fund account. Joe Zavala is a reporter for the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 541-821-0829 or [email protected]. By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Follow @@ADTsports DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Follow @@ADTsports Posted Nov. 20, 2015 @ 8:26 pm » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Yates, Hopkins' Updated Fantasy Outlook with Hoyer's Injury Nov. 20, 2015 at 3:26 pm Fantasy Outlook for Sanchez, Matthews with Bradford out Nov. 20, 2015 at 1:21 pm Matchups We Love and Player Stat Projections Nov. 20, 2015 at 12:00 pm Daily Fantasy Football Stock Up, Stock Down Nov. 20, 2015 at 8:00 am Walker, Green-Beckham's Post-Week 11 Fantasy Advice Nov. 19, 2015 at 11:56 pm Mariota, Andrews, McCluster's Post-Week 11 Fantasy Advice Nov. 19, 2015 at 11:30 pm calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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