Nathan

The first word that comes to Emily’s mind when she thinks of her little boy Nathan is “happy.” A happy kid, Nathan is smart and observant, outgoing and emotional. His mom told us that he “is a little bit of everything but all of them are beautiful.”

In many ways, Nathan is a typical ten-year-old boy. He likes to play games with friends and family. He enjoys YouTube videos and playing Roblox. Fishing and sweet treats from Yogurt Land and Braums make him happy. A special treat is a trip to Game Stop or Target to look at Pokemon cards. These are the things that bring him joy. Unlike most ten-year-olds, Nathan has spent a lot of time at the hospital. He likes face masks because they help him relax, and he would look forward to the goody bags the hospital would provide.

Nathan’s favorite place to be is with his family. A homebody, he sometimes likes to venture out to visit Grandma or his cousin. But when we started working with the family, his mom told us she wanted to take him to San Antonio. He wanted to eat at the Rainforest Café and visit the wax museum and maybe even take a ride on the river. With the help of generous partners at the Rainforest Café and Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Project 4031 was able to make all of those things happen. We asked Emily what this meant for Nathan and the family. She told us that the trip allowed Nathan to “escape the heavy heart problems he has to deal with…to enjoy himself and not have to worry about any doctors or appointments.” The San Antonio trip was “a distraction for a few days to just soak in his surroundings and different foods and experiences in places he’s never been.” More than just an adventure, the trip gave this sweet boy some peace.