19 May From Meningitis at Two, to Division 1 Gridiron: Joey’s Story of Survival
When Joey Su’a takes the football field as an offensive lineman for Arizona State University during the next several seasons, he’ll wear the number 54 – not for good luck, stats or tradition, but to honor the 54 days he spent in the hospital fighting for his life as a toddler.
At just two years old, Joey was rushed to the emergency room with a severe fever, confusion and what his parents didn’t realize at the time were seizures. He was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and strep pneumonia. His brain was dangerously swollen, and doctors warned his family it was more likely they’d be planning a funeral than bringing their son home.
The prognosis was devastating. The Su’a family was already grieving the loss of Joey’s younger brother, Daniel, to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) just four months earlier. But they refused to give up hope, even after Joey suffered a stroke and was placed in a medically induced coma.
Doctors warned that if Joey survived, he would likely be paralyzed. While the infection and its treatment left him deaf, Joey defied every expectation – not only surviving but thriving through his teen years, growing to 6-feet 4-inches and 315 pounds, and being sought after as a nationally recruited Division I athlete.
During Joey’s long hospital stay, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona (RMHCCNAZ) stepped in to help. It was much more than just a room for the night – it was steady, compassionate support when Joey’s family needed it most.
“Our world was turned upside down,” said Joey’s mom Lagalo. “We didn’t know what to think or where to go. And people from Ronald McDonald House really cared. They listened and helped with the smallest things we overlooked, like bringing us a meal, pillows and blankets,” she added. “They comforted us.”
The Su’a family, who resided in Buckeye when Joey was hospitalized, qualified for accommodations at Ronald McDonald House because they lived more than 30 miles away from the hospital. After one night, however, the family decided they wanted their room to go to people who lived even farther away and weren’t able to travel home as easily when they needed to.
But the support didn’t stop. Ronald McDonald House staff and volunteers continued to provide meals, resources and reassurance during Joey’s entire hospital stay.
It’s the kind of support that’s always been available but has now been formalized through RMHCCNAZ’s new Day Use program, launching in June 2025 at the renovated Cambridge House on the Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Thomas Campus.
The Day Use program will provide families who live nearby, but spend long days at the hospital, access to many of the same amenities as overnight guests: showers, laundry, kitchen facilities and a quiet place to rest and regroup. It’s designed for families like the Su’as, who may not need a bed but definitely need a break.
“Every person who helped us, made a way for Joey to be who he is today,” said Lagalo.
Today, Joey is one of only a handful of deaf football players who have competed at the Division I level. He’s also a community leader and a role model for deaf youth, visiting schools to share his story and encourage others who may feel overlooked or underestimated.
Joey Su’a, wearing #54 for the Sun Devils, with his family