Henderson County teen designs gloves in honor of fight against Type I diabetes

Mills River (WLOS) The uniforms Avery Stansbury will wear over the years might change color schemes and styles, but the glove on his left hand won’t be any time soon. Stansbury worked with Emery Glove Company this fall to develop the T1D Warrior Series, designed to honor those battling Type 1 diabetes.

A Type 1 diabetic himself, Stansbury connected last year with Jaime Ferrer of the Florida State Seminoles, who also has T1. Their friendship once again collided with the development of leather.

“We came along [Emery] to create a glove, and then with Jaime,” Stansbury explained. “We sent him the pictures and he changed the design a little.”

They ended up with a fielder’s glove with two shades of blue, accented by a traditional blonde on the fingers. The lettering “Type One Strong” adorns the side of the body with the traditional blue band on the wrist. The stitching is red and there are drops of blood hanging from the Emery logo to indicate the finger pricks that are synonymous with diabetes.

“The tape shows me the struggle and what you’ve been through over the years,” Stansbury said. “The colors show your determination.”

Of course, it’s cool to design a glove before you can even sit in the driver’s seat of a car, but what’s really special for Stansbury is the portrayal of all those fighting the same battle as him.

“It means everything to me,” he said. “Not only does it show that you can do it, but other people can do it in life, and they can show that even though you first thought you couldn’t do it, you can do it now.”

Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from each glove sale goes to the Skin Grip Diabetes Scholarship, which provides financial resources to diabetics seeking higher education. Stansbury and his family hope to raise at least $1,000 for the foundation.