riding the range

being a volunteer is so rewarding. for the obvious reasons like helping others and your community but honestly, it really helps me...to be a better person in general. admittedly, there are times when i have committed to something but felt really tired and wondered why i offered. the days where you want nothing more than to go home and curl up in bed. on this particular day i felt over committed and tired.
but this was a RUSH wish and means exactly how it sounds....time is limited.
know what's worse than not volunteering? volunteering and then not following thru.this is a pet peeve of mine... so...not going was NOT an option. D was counting on me.
when my wish partner and i arrived we learned  that little D and his parents were driving back from an appointment earlier that afternoon when their car broke down. fortunately they had just signed up for Triple A a week prior.D had never ridden in a tow truck before but they said he seemed to really enjoy it.
little D's condition was brain cancer. a form so rare his dr's said that they would only see one case like this in their lifetime. in other words, it would be like winning the lottery 4 times in a row...sadly, not a good lottery.
he was going into system failure. he couldn't communicate very well given that the disease had invaded his mind and body leaving little room for a 5 yr old boy to function normally.
his parents were young and soo polite, considerate, and grateful. i have to admit, this hasn't always been the case with parents during my time as a wish granter. as we sat on the floor to get information from D's mom, i overheard D and his dad talking. at one point his dad said, "i know buddy, you're going to be a cowboy when you grow up"
my heart ached.
when it came time to ask D what he wished for he said "to ride a horse" (aka be a cowboy for a day) i was soo excited and thought of things we could do. we were informed that the dr had given him a week (if that) to live so we would need to turn this around fast!
this was my first 'rush' wish and i couldn't seem to grasp how real the reality was that this little boy was dying. i thought to myself...how would i sleep at night if he was my child? i would be afraid to. but you can't live in fear, right? little D surely didn't. he was brave to the max! having undergone numerous surgeries and treatments all while he should have been pretending to be spiderman.
as we went to leave we said goodbye to little D. he started to wave his arms and seemed upset. we looked over at his parents for some insight as to what might be going on. they said this usually meant he wanted a hug. i didn't hesitate. i just bent over and gave that sweet boy a hug.
and then my wish partner did the same. our 2nd attempt at leaving went the same way. he was clearly upset. i hugged him again. his parents told us that he doesn't really do that and he must know we are good people. they told us that D had been emotional lately and that earlier in the tow truck, out of nowhere he lifted up his arms and said "i love you all". he told the tow truck driver that he loved him. you can't tell me that this little boy didn't know his time on earth was limited?
i told D that we needed to go so we could plan a very special day for him. we let his dad tell him the good news. when D found out he would get to wear a cowboy hat...he started crying. i've never seen a 5 year old show such mature emotion.
my wish partner and i stepped outside and walked down the sidewalk. as i approached my car, the tears started.
when i got in my car, the dam broke and i sobbed....and sobbed.
though i wasn't able to be at his wish party, the pictures said it all. he was a very sick boy who had his wish come true.
people have asked me how i do it (while i sit here frustrated that i can't do more) and my answer is always the same...how can i not? i mean, if i ever personally knew a child that was in need of help...i would pray that there were people willing to do things like this. no one wants to see someone soo young and innocent be soo sick and fragile. but seeing how strong and courageous he was...how FULL of love he was--makes me want to make sure i continue to do this. D wasn't just a wish child; he was the kind of kid i wish for someday...his spirit was strong. he had a sense of humor, and he was so grateful. even though he was tired and in pain, he still wanted to give me a hug! i feel soo blessed!
i wonder if he knows i think of him almost daily?
D sadly passed away about a week after his wish was granted.
when i told my dear friend this he said it best when he said "i hope he is riding the range up in heaven"
i hope so too!