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Barberton boy's wish comes true at Disney

Joshua Metzger, 8, visits Florida on dream trip

By Jewell Cardwell
Beacon Journal staff writer

Published on Wednesday, Dec 03, 2008

Sometimes there just aren't words powerful enough to say thanks. That applies to ALL of those involved in bringing joy to a boy who is battling for his life.

Madelyn Sweeney, community relations director and wish coordinator for North Canton's Wishes Can Happen, shared this amazing outreach:

''Wishes Can Happen sent 8-year-old Joshua Metzger of Barberton on a wish to Disney in Florida. . . . Mom Monica Metzger-Labriola, stepdad Vince Labriola and biological dad David Metzger, along with four other children, David, Julian, Giorgio and Zachary, all had a wonderful time. They visited the Disney parks as well as Sea World, where Josh (who has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer) was quite taken with Shamu.''

Sweeney said that the boy's mother, who is originally from Venezuela, hadn't seen her father since Josh was born. Fortunately, they had a reunion in Florida with not only Josh's grandfather but also three of his mother's sisters. ''Wishes Can Happen supplied a condo for her dad and her sisters within minutes of Give Kids the World,'' Sweeney said.

A little background: Give Kids the World is a magical place where wish groups send kids.

''It was founded by Henry Landwirth, who was a Nazi concentration camp survivor as a child. He made a promise to himself when he was liberated that someday he would find a way to give back to the world for saving all who were saved from those horrible camps,'' Sweeney said.

Close to home, Nancy and Don Brody, owners of Thomas Limousine Service, drove the family to and from Akron-Canton Airport. AirTran upgraded Josh and his mother to first-class seating.

Also, Josh's teacher donated four courtside seats to a Cavs game last week, and Wishes Can Happen donated eight more. ''The family was treated like royalty, by all team members — including LeBron,'' Sweeney said.

Interested in learning more about Wishes Can Happen? Please call 330-494-0446 or send e-mail to msweeney@wishescanhappen.org.

Notes requested

Several folks with their hearts in the right place have organized a letter- and note-writing campaign to help ease another family's turmoil.

The e-mail reads:

''Ken and Hillery Nelson have two children, Hayden (6 years old) and Elise (4 years old). . . . At the moment, Hayden is critically ill (he has a rare immune deficiency called hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, bacterial and fungal infections, etc.) and is in an induced coma as the staff at the Cleveland Clinic treat his extremely rare disease. . . . I'm asking you to stop what you are doing, pray for the Nelsons, and write a letter to Hayden or his parents or his sister.

''Hayden's family is facing the immeasurable grief of losing a child (and brother). Imagine what it would be like to be Hayden or Ken and Hillery or Elise. . . . Everyone we know in our community is praying for Hayden and his family, but we wondered what it would be like to flood the Nelsons with God's love through more companionship and encouragement than they ever imagined possible . . . Our goal is 7,000 letters before Christmas. . . .

''Grace and Peace, Brent Warwick (Suzy, Joy & Patrick).''

Please send encouragement cards to: Ken & Hillery Nelson, 175 Inwood Blvd., Avon Lake, OH 44012-1550.

Benefit dinner

Friends of Jennifer Post are hosting a benefit spaghetti dinner and raffles (50/50 and big prizes, such as patio sets) in her memory from 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 13 at Radiant Life Church, 951 High St., Wadsworth. Cost is $6 for adults and free to children 10 or younger.

The Rittman resident died Nov. 24 following a long battle with leukemia. She was 34 and the divorced mother of two children. Proceeds will go toward her medical and funeral bills, as she had no health insurance.

For information, please call Carol Goff at 330-388-0749.

Help for family

A great big thank-you to Sue Buskey, who wrote: ''Just wanted to let you know that due to the mention of Austin Neib in your column a few weeks ago, a fundraiser has been set!

''We will be walking Laps of Love at the Rootstown High School track on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. Donations collected from each walker will be given to Austin's family.''

Austin, 14, a Rootstown High freshman who played football and basketball, was diagnosed with cancer — large-cell lymphoma — two weeks after his father, Tim Weaver, was laid off at Owens Corning in Twinsburg. Doctors recently found another lump on Austin, who already is undergoing intense chemotherapy.

The school also is sponsoring fundraisers to help the Weavers.

''We're living paycheck to paycheck, begging our creditors not to shut things off,'' said mom Billie Jo Weaver, who works part time at a local Wendy's restaurant when she's not with her son at the hospital.

Spaghetti fundraiser

Mike Corby's 22nd birthday celebration was interrupted by a major medical health bulletin.

The Akron man, who thought he was going into the hospital Oct. 8 to be treated for pneumonia, found out he had Stage 4 non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Mike's friends are doing what they can to help him financially by hosting a spaghetti dinner fundraiser from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Today Club, 704 N. Main St., Akron. Cost is $7. Basket raffles also are planned.

For information, please call 330-384-1950, 330-322-6217 or 330-327-9790.

Clothes donated

Grace Benson, 11, is inspiring others to help Delores Board, a struggling Akron woman who is raising eight grandchildren.

Barberton's Kelly Paul is the latest: ''I just read your article of today [Dec. 1] regarding Grace Benson and Delores Board. I was very touched by the generosity and compassion of Grace. I know what it's like to struggle. . . . I now have have five kids, two boys and three girls, ages 10-14. We have a lot of clothes that they have outgrown and was in search of a place to donate the items. After I read your article I thought that Delores and her family would be a good place for the donation. There is a mixture of good clothes and some that may be used for messy or play times.''

Jewell Cardwell can be reached at 330-996-3567 or jcardwell@thebeaconjournal.com.

 

Sometimes there just aren't words powerful enough to say thanks. That applies to ALL of those involved in bringing joy to a boy who is battling for his life.

Get the full article here.


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