Columbia alumnus to say goodbye to beard to help wife's former student fighting leukemia

COLUMBIA STATION — Her husband said she couldn't pay him enough to shave the beard he has grown and groomed for the past 20 years, but it turns out, he's doing it for free — and for a good cause. Less than two weeks ago, Columbia Station Middle School teacher Sarah Zietlow broached the topic over dinner at her parents home. "When he said I couldn't pay him enough to do it, I asked, 'what if it was to raise money?'" Mark Zietlow didn't hesitate. "I'd do it for that," he told her. Within two minutes of posting the idea to raise money for the Herhuth family on Facebook, Zietlow had raised $50. The goal was to raise $1,000. They surpassed that in just over two days. As of Sunday afternoon, the Zietlows, who live in Medina Township, have raised almost $9,000 for her former student 16-year-old Jake Herhuth, who is battling leukemia, and his family. "Before his diagnosis, Jake's mom, Gina, was really into the Parent Teacher Organization," Zietlow said. "Anything we asked for, she made it happen. If she could make it happen for us, she deserves to have someone make this happen for her." Jake was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia more than a year ago, going through chemotherapy before receiving a bone marrow transplant several months ago, Zietlow said. The transplant did not work, and now he is going through chemotherapy again before possibly receiving another bone marrow transplant from a different donor. While Jake started treatment in Cleveland, he is being treated in Columbus now, where he and his mom have been for many months. Jake's dad and two siblings remain in Columbia Station. Gina Herhuth keeps family and friends updated on Jake's treatment on the Caring Bridge website. When she learned of the Zietlow's fundraising efforts, she took to the website to express her gratitude. "Acts like this help bring peace and hope into a world that you have questioned for over a year," Herhuth wrote. "I can't wait to meet you in person Mark and give you a huge hug. You are an amazing human being." "Isolated in a hospital, you live and breathe this disease every second of the day," she wrote. "Unfortunately, the world does not stop outside of the hospital and neither do the bills." Herhuth left her job to take care of Jake, noting "going from two incomes to one is life changing." "You will never ever fully understand how your kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness have allowed us to focus on taking care of Jake while alleviating the financial burden at the same time," she wrote. Zietlow just hopes the money helps. "I'm hoping things turn around for them," she said. "I hope this financial help will ease some of the burden in some way. I'm sure it's not money they want, but they have bills to pay, too." Knowing that shaving is for a good cause will likely make the sound of the clippers much more serene for Mark Zietlow. "I haven't seen him without a beard since ninth or 10th grade," Zietlow said. "He even had one in high school, just not to this extent." The Zietlows both graduated from Columbia Station High School in 1998. "He said I couldn't pay him enough to shave," Zietlow said. "I'm not paying him because the money is going to someone else." Sarah has been teaching at the middle school for eight years. Several area businesses, social clubs and individuals have donated to the fundraiser, including Smith Bros. Inc. in Medina, where Mark Zietlow works. His boss was even kind enough to call the barber, Hershey's Barbershop in Medina. Zietlow will continue accepting donations through the next week. For more information, visit her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sarah.c.burgett. Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@chroniclet.com.