Playing outside is a typical activity that most children do on a daily basis. But for young Brody from Connecticut, he never had the chance to experience what it was like.
That is until his fourth birthday when the Make-A-Wish Foundation stepped in to give him a gift that would change his life. It’s a beautiful moment that’s been captured on film.
We sometimes take little things for granted without even realizing it. For example, being able to enjoy the weather outside on a beautiful summer day.
The sun, however, is not good for Brody. He was born with a condition called Chiari malformation, which affects his ability to control his temperature outdoors. His medications make his skin sensitive to the sun, and he’ll break out in blisters when exposed to it.
Brody also has to wear an electric backpack that contains his feeding tube. Because of the condition, he’s had to spend a lot of time in the hospital instead of doing normal activities like going to the park.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation has a mission to help grant the wishes of children diagnosed with serious illnesses, just like Brody.
On their site they say:
“Today, Make-A-Wish has granted hundreds of thousands of life-changing wishes to children battling critical illnesses. Wishes that give families hope through dark times, strength to persevere and experiences that forever change their lives.”
The foundation contacted Brody’s mom, Julia Rubin, asking what they could do for her toddler son. She responded, “Help him go outside.”
Julia explained to Inside Edition:
“I thought the best wish would be like something he couldn’t do like a regular child. We wanted a play area that he could play outside.”
The earth angels at Make-A-Wish got to work helping create an “outdoor” environment at the family’s home. However, it was one that Brody would actually be able to enjoy despite his condition.
It all started with a porch being built onto their house. Then, a large customized temperature-controlled tent was placed over it, which would keep Brody safe from the sun.
Of course, no outdoor setting would be complete without grass or yard toys. The porch contains turf to seem like grass and there’s even a water table for Brody to play with.
The big surprise came just in time for the boy’s fourth birthday. It was the most incredible gift he could have received. You can tell just by his reaction!
In the video, Brody walks out and sees it all for the first time. He jumps up and down out of pure excitement. He even tells the group of people there to witness it all, “thank you, everybody!”
Debbie Artinian from Make-A-Wish had the chance to be there the day Brody’s surprise was revealed. She told Inside Edition:
“I have been making wishes come true for six-and-a-half years and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes, a smile to my face and joy to my heart.”
Julia was extremely grateful for the addition, which would allow Brody to experience “playing outside” the same as other kids his age. She explained:
“Being a single mom is hard, so I would never be able to do this on my own.”
It’s another example that not all angels have wings. Watch Brody’s reaction to his amazing new “backyard” in the video below!
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