This Day Made in Honor of Patriotic Ten-year-old

This morning the City of Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton proclaimed August 10th as Avery Price Day in honor of a disabled patriotic ten-year-old.

Local Leah Norris videotaped Avery Price standing up from his wheelchair for the National Anthem at the Putnam County Fair. The video since went viral.

“I just like to stand for the flag and everybody that supports this country,” Avery Price said.

Avery’s father, Steven Price said he did not know the video existed until Prescott Middle School called him.

“I had no clue this had even happened. And I was just like, ‘Wow, okay,’ and you know, we have had several inquiries from different stations from all this. They want to meet you, they want to meet Avery,” Price said. “I’m like, ‘Okay, well, awesome.’ It wasn’t done intentionally. We had no idea this was even going on. This has blown up and just gotten amazing.”

Mayor Ricky Shelton presents the Avery Price Day proclamation. Left to Right: Ricky Shelton, Chase Price, Jayme Jefcoat, Steven Price, Avery Price, and Clayton Price. (Photo: Tess Kapp)

Avery’s mother, Jayme Jefcoat said Avery deals with a condition called hereditary spastic paraplegia.

“It is an assortment of several different muscle diseases that affect both his legs and his brain,” Jefcoat said. “As far as in his legs goes, the muscles that are loose are too loose or they are deteriorating and they don’t work at all. So it causes more of an issue for stability.”

HSP causes Avery’s bones and muscles to grow differently.

Jefcoat said before March of last year, Avery’s left foot stayed nearly completely turned around until doctors at Vanderbilt corrected Avery’s foot.

Since Avery’s video went viral, Fox in Nashville and National Fox & Friends interviewed him.

Cookeville High’s JROTC presented Avery with a flag. Gnash, the mascot for the Nashville Preds, presented Avery with gifts as well.