SMITHVILLE, Mo. — A little boy was told that he could have one wish granted through the Make a Wish Foundation, so now he’s getting the tree house of his dreams.
Crews broke ground on the project Friday, and six year-old Lucas Messer can’t wait to get it started. If he had his way, he’d be driving all the heavy machinery! He’s excited because the Make a Wish Foundation says this isn’t just any tree house:
“I’m going to get a zip line and a rock wall,” Lucas said.
Courtney Taylor, with Make a Wish, says that’s just the beginning, he’s also getting a fireman’s pole, bunk beds, a secret hatch, a bridge, and a couple of decks.
Lucas’ dad Lowell is glad his son is so excited. Lucas has been through a lot in the last year and a half. January last year, doctors diagnosed Lucas with a Wilms tumor and had to do a risky surgery.
“They took his left kidney, the surgeon says (the tumor) was almost the size of a volleyball,” said Lowell. However the surgery was a success and the prognosis now is good.
“We really feel like we were blessed with catching it at the right time, having the right doctor, the right treatment and it’s been as good as you could hope in a bad situation,” Lowell said.
The Make a Wish Foundation hopes this tree house shows the family the community supports Lucas and his fight. Taylor says he was especially impressed with why Lucas wanted this tree house as his wish.
“He wanted something he could share with his brothers and sisters and family and friends,” Taylor said, “and that was cool that a six-year-old would think that far in the future.”
Make a Wish Foundation hopes to have the tree house done in just two weeks! If you want to find out about the project or how you can help, or watch the progress of the tree house, follow along on the Make a Wish Foundation’s Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Make-A-Wish-Kansas-City/237720809180
Major Lumber is accepting donations to help supplement the cost of all building materials. Any donations can be made to Major Lumber by contacting Ryan Helm at 816-532-0970. All charitable donations are tax deductible.
