Dear Dream Factory,
I just wanted to right you a letter and tell you Thank you! My nephew is Dacota Maris, the little boy that the Dream Factory took to the Royals game on Friday July 12, 2002. This little boy had the time of his life. I think the work that you and the Dream Factory are doing should automatically reserve you a spot in Heaven! Some people do not realize the seriousness of Juvenile Diabetes, this little boy has had quite a time in the last year. So for everyone to take the time and let him be a part of such a special night means so much to our family.
I am having a hard time composing this letter because I am pretty overwhelmed with emotion. When I asked Dacota what was the best part of Friday, He told me "EVERYTHING!!!!!". I just wanted to let you know that one kid in Missouri has not stopped smiling yet!
Annie Ghere
Patrick Gratton, now a sophomore at Park Hill South High School, had his dream come true some 11 years ago when he got to fly over Kansas City and see his hometown from the air before having a painful bone marrow transplant at UCLA. But now he is national high school weightlifting champion in his division. "I still remember that cold February morning," Patrick told KMBC-TV's Larry Moore in an interview featured on Channel 9 on May 14, 1999. "I remember the snowfall, I remember seeing Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium from the air. I remember looking out from that helicopter."
Businessman Del Dunmire loaned his chopper to The Dream Factory to make Patrick's dream come true. His trip in the skies over Kansas City remains one of the most memorable dreams fulfilled by the Dream Factory of Greater Kansas City in its more than 15 years of granting wishes. "I've never been hugged any tighter than by that little boy when we got off the helicopter at Downtown Airport," Moore said. "He was truly excited and I know it made a big difference in his attitude as he went off to UCLA Medical Center for the transplant procedure."
Patrick did well after the transplant. He returned to his grade school in Parkville and he has progressed well since then. This month Patrick took part in national weightlifting competition in Arlington, Texas, representing his high school. He got the highest score and was named national weightlifting champion in his division.
Sixteen-year-old Justin Douthitt loves ice hockey and was a star youth league player until cancer sidelined him during the summer of 1998. Justin dreamed of seeing his favorite National Hockey League teams, the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks. His dream request reached the Dream Factory and volunteer dream manager Jack Marcum was assigned the task of making Justin's dream come true.
On a February evening Jack met with Justin at his home along with Larry Moore and his TV9 camera crew. Jack presented Justin with tickets for him and his family to a Red Wings-Blackhawks game at the United Center in Chicago plus the airline tickets, hotel rooms, and spending money that Justin would need to make his dream come true. "This is overwhelming," Justin told Moore in a television interview that aired as part of a weekly Dream Factory segment on the 5 o'clock news on Channel 9. "I love hockey. I love playing the game. I love seeing my favorite NHL teams play," said Justin, "and I am very thankful to the Dream Factory for making my dream come true." "This is really great," said Justin's mom. "It is something special for him at a time when his cancer treatment is so difficult. This will help him in his will to overcome his cancer." "I loved doing this dream," said Marcum in the television interview. "This is really something different from Disneyworld or a computer. It's a little more of a challenge. And I love seeing the smile on Justin's face."
Chiefs fans applauded loudly at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, November 29, 1998, as the Chiefs saluted on the field the businesses and organizations that make the Defense Is Kids Stuff program possible during the 1998 season. Honored by the Chiefs were Lynda Norris of Hoechst Marion Roussel, Jack Marcum of the Dream Factory, Larry Moore of KMBC-TV, John Meggs of Price Chopper, Harold Starboard of MTSI Limousine, Johnny Bondon of Italian Gardens Restaurant, and Mary McKenna of KFKF.
The Defense is Kids Stuff program is in its 12th year and helps raise money for the Dream Factory to help make dreams come true for chronically ill children. For each defensive play the Chiefs make, money goes to the Dream Factory through the financial sponsorship of Price Chopper and Hoechst Marion Roussel. "This is a wonderful program that has continued for 12 years and each year raises between $25,000 and $35,000 to help make dreams come true for chronically ill and seriously ill children," said Moore who has helped organize the program since it began.
"This is awesome," said Dream Factory youngster Nicholas Barchers of Adrian, Missouri who served as honorary defensive co-captain of the Chiefs which is part of the program. "I can't believe this is happening to me, getting to meet all the players and former players." The Defense is Kids Stuff Program provides for Dream Youngsters to be in the locker room after each Chiefs game to get all the autographs they so desire from Chiefs players.
For a very long time, 10 year old Joshua Kaneer of Pensacola, Florida, who has Tourette's Syndrome and autism, has dreamed of having a horse of his very own. On the first night of the International Foxtrotting Horse Trainers Association Show, September 4, 1998 in the center of the arena at the Lebanon (MO) Civic Center, Joshua became the proud owner of a 14-year-old Foxtrotting horse.
Jerry Middleton and Justin Dampier with Larry Moore, show announcer and news anchor from KMBC-TV in Kansas City, presented the horse to Joshua as the crowd cheered.
"This is my dream come true. This is what I've always wanted," Joshua told Moore as his eyes grew bigger and bigger. They helped Joshua onto the horse complete with saddle and riding gear and Joshua rode around the arean to the applause of the crowd. Purina Mills immediately offered to provide a year's supply of feed for Joshua's new horse which will be cared for at his grandfather's farm near Moberly, Missouri.
"I've never seen anyone any happier or more appreciative," said Moore who does volunteer work for The Dream Factory. "It's a labor of love, and smiles like Joshua's that night are what make it all worthwhile."
Joshua's family says the horse will be a big help to him and offer lots of encouragement to Joshua as he deals with the challenges of his illness. They say it's the best thing that could happen for Joshua. Joshua's dream come true was made possible by The Dream Factory working with the International Foxtrotting Horse Trainers Association.
Ryan Burdick of Lee's Summit will never forget the day he got to spend with the Hummer Limousine as part of his dream come true as well as go shopping, playing and dining. Ryan is 14 years old. He has leukemia. For his dream, he got to take three of his friends with him on a day they'll remember for a long time.
The Hummer Limousine, provided by MTSI, picked up Ryan and his friends and away they went waving to friends and people along the way as they went from their homes to the Fun Factory Arcade at Independence Center. Fun Factory greeted them with open arms, offering them all the games they could play and all the food they could eat.
The next stop for them and the Hummer was the Best Buy store where Ryan got to purchase a stereo, video games, and lots of other things. He got a special gift for his little brother. And he remembered his friends with $15 gift cards to Best Buy. "We never expected this," said one of Ryan's friends. "This is really cool and it's so great to see Ryan doing well." Ryan was all smiles. He couldn't believe what was happening to him. At every stop, people stopped and looked wondering who the celebrity was in the big Hummer.
Ryan took all of his purchases home and then it was off to Skies Restaurant atop the Hyatt Regency where manager Rick Adie rolled out the red carpet and entertained Ryan, his friends, and Ryan's parents at a dinner fit for a king. "I really wanted to dine here," Ryan said. "For so long I was in the hospital just down the street and my parents promised once I got out we would go up to that big revolving restaurant and have dinner."
"I never dreamed the Dream Factory would step in and make my day so special," said Ryan. "This is truly awesome." All along the way Larry Moore and a KMBC-TV9 photographer accompanied Ryan and his friends for special report to be shown on the 5 p.m. news on Friday, November 20. "It was so much fun seeing Ryan having such a wonderful time," said Moore. "This truly was something special. And I think his parents were speechless."
Bob and Lois Kennedy served as dream managers for this wonderful occasion. It was a dream come true for a youngster who truly enjoyed the moment, something he had looked forward to for a long time.
When teenager Levi Hellyer of Lawrence, Kansas, arrived at Oak Park Mall in a big white stretch limousine provided by MTSI he was all smiles and eager to pursue his dream. Levi, who has renal disease and a kidney transplant that led to serious health problems, couldn't wait.
His dream was to go on a shopping spree at the mall. He met up with Dream Manager Deanna Kerr and KMBC-TV9's Larry Moore with his television news photographer and Levi was ready to begin. He went store to store in his wheelchair getting a big welcome from all the merchants who helped the Dream Factory by making donations as part of the shopping spree. Two things he really wanted made him so excited. He got a video camera from Dillard's and a leather jacket from Nordstrom's. He was thrilled.
"I never thought I'd ever be able to go into a store and get exactly what I wanted," Levi told TV9's Moore in an interview that was presented on the 5 o'clock news on Channel 9. "This is really a dream." It was quite a day for Levi. When he and he parents and sister got back into the limo for the trip home to Lawrence, Levi had everything he really wanted. His dream had come true.
Jonathan Wilson has Angelman Syndrome, a form of mental retardation. The dream of young Jonathan was a backyard, above ground swimming pool, which the local Dream Factory chapter provided.
Just being in the water has been a kind of therapy for this 9 year-old. "If you could see Jonathan in that pool," says his mom, "you'd be an avid supporter of The Dream Factory. Now, I want to do anything I can to help them raise money for other kids like my son."
Sheila Kiam Mehr has cerebral palsy and is unable to talk. But a computer with a CD-ROM talking encyclopedia now helps her "speak" and recognize words and pictures. It was a dream come true for little Sheila, thanks to her friends at The Dream Factory.
Patrick Alexander Young has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. While he was in the hospital, he filled out the papers for The Dream Factory himself. More than anything, Patrick wanted his family to take one last, big vacation together. The Dream Factory responded, and the Young family was off to Disney World.
Today, Patrick is gone, but his dad says "Thank you, Dream Factory. You gave Patrick a dream, and you gave me and my family a memory that will last forever,"
Ten year old Lori Bradford of Lee's Summit suffers from acute asthma. Friends of Lori's submitted her name to The Dream Factory, and Lori had a very special dream. She had written a book and very much wanted to see it published. Dream Manager, Sue Raymond, went to work immediately. When Sue contacted Walsworth Publishing in Marceline, MO, they agreed to publish Lori's book and print 50 copies and they did so at no cost to Lori or The Dream Factory. Seeing her book in print with copies to give to friends and family was really a dream come true for Lori. Through the tireless efforts of dedicated volunteers and the generosity of companies like Walsworth Publishing, the dreams of children like Lori are coming true throughout the Kansas City Metropolitan area.
Kelsey Warner of Kansas City was 5 years old when her mother contacted The Dream Factory. Kelsey has cerebral palsy and had never been able to ride a tricycle. Her dream was to have a tricycle of her very own that she could ride unassisted. Dream Manager, Liz Arnold, went to work on Kelsey's dream immediately. With the help of a donation from Jibber's Friend, Liz ordered a specially made Terrier TMX Tricycle for Kelsey. The backyard was filled with smiles when Liz delivered the tricycle to Kelsey and Larry Moore recorded all of the excitement on film to share with Kansas City on the Friday night 5:00 p.m. newscast on KMBC channel 9.