Nathan, 16, was already an accomplished guitar player and composer when he was diagnosed with leukemia. His parents told us he immediately turned to music to deal with the stress that came with his diagnosis. For his magic moment, Nathan requested a piano and piano lessons, and Ellis Piano provided us with a heavily discounted upright piano. We also arranged for Nathan to see his favorite band, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, play locally. He even got to play his guitar onstage with them. A few weeks later, after watching a YouTube clip of Nathan playing with the band, a local music store was so impressed that they offered him a position as a part-time guitar instructor. Nathan’s family says he loves his new job and has been using his piano to compose original songs. This magic moment exemplifies how communities rally to help children and families, not only fulfilling requests but taking extra steps to bring joy to the kids.
