Bianca's Kids is sending Williamstown High School's Kejohn Quarles to Florida for his senior trip via train. Watch video
When Williamstown High School senior Kejohn Quarles was denied permission to fly to Florida for his class trip, Bianca's Kids stepped in to help make some Disney magic.
Quarles, 17, was told by his doctor at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, that he could not board an airplane with his classmates for the trip in April because of medical complications due to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
According to Dr. Joseph Melvin, assistant professor of child neurology at St. Christopher's, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is an X-linked disorder characterized by progressive weakness of skeletal muscle.
When Tina Clark -- a substitute teacher's aid who had the honor of working with Kejohn when the boy's regular aid was absent -- heard that he would not be able to go on his senior class trip, she wrote to Bianca's Kids -- a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Williamstown that grants wishes for children in need.
Debbie Savigliano, president of Bianca's Kids, received Clark's letter and set about on a mission to make the wish come true.
"I worked with Liz Lapalomento. She's a teacher and in charge of the senior trip," Savigliano said. "And I worked with Kejohn's dad and doctor to figure out a way to get him cleared to take the train."
Perhaps it was Tinkerbell or maybe a bit of Christmas magic, but Clark's wish for Kejohn came true and the unsuspecting teen was surprised with the news during the school's Christmas assembly on Tuesday.
"Miss Tina told me that you are one of the most inspiring boys she has ever met," Savigliano told Kejohn during the assembly. "She told me that you are on the honor roll. We were so impressed by you, and we know that you deal with a lot, and that you're able to continue to be an amazing student and an amazing friend to a lot of your classmates."
Savigliano said she had also heard that his doctor said it was impossible for him to fly on an airplane to get to Florida for his class trip.
"The good thing for you is, at Bianca's Kids, nothing is impossible," she assured Kejohn. "So, what if we told you we were able to, A -- pay for you to go to Florida; B -- pay for your dad to go with you; and C -- instead of flying, you're going to take the train to Florida."
The entire student body erupted in applause at the announcement of the good news for Kejohn, and quite a few tears of happiness were shed by students and staff alike.
"Oh, there's one more thing," Savigliano said. "You get to leave school two days earlier than your classmates for the trip."
Clark was extremely thankful that Bianca's Kids was able to grant the wish for Kejohn.
"The Lord makes miracles happen here," Clark said. "With God and Bianca's Kids, anything can happen."
Kejohn was all smiles after getting the news that he would, indeed, be visiting the "happiest place on Earth" with his classmates.
"I'm ready to party," he told Savigliano.
After Kejohn's doctor shot down the idea of flying to Florida, he said he lost hope for a while.
"But my dad and my nurses told me to keep trying," he said. "I started thinking, 'What if I take a train?'"
But Kejohn didn't get his hopes up.
"My family went last year and I couldn't go," he said, mentioning that he has visited Disney World twice in his earlier childhood. "I didn't think I would ever go again."
However, his doubts disappeared after his wish was granted by Bianca's Kids.
"I'm excited," Kejohn said.
But his bright eyes and joyous smile spoke volumes of his happiness with the realization that he and his father will be traveling to Florida in April to join his classmates in Walt Disney World.
