TAMPA, Fla. – An 11-year-old boy from the Tampa Bay area, who has spent the past year battling leukemia, recently got the surprise of a lifetime after meeting one of the world’s biggest YouTube stars.
Read more Woman wins massive settlement after bladder mistakenly removed during surgery for benign cyst
With help from the St. Petersburg-based Children’s Dream Fund, Emmanuel Ruiz Vasquez’s dream of meeting MrBeast became reality during the filming of one of the content creator’s latest videos featuring children with critical illnesses.
The emotional encounter left both Emmanuel and MrBeast in tears and created a memory Emmanuel says he’ll never forget.
Emmanuel Ruiz Vasquez’s diagnosis
The backstory:
Emmanuel was diagnosed with leukemia at age 10 and has undergone months of treatment, including medication, blood transfusions and platelet transfusions. While receiving treatment at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa, Emmanuel connected with the Children’s Dream Fund, a non-profit that grants dreams for children facing life-threatening illnesses.
According to the Children’s Dream Fund, Emmanuel’s original wish was to meet MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson. The organization wasn’t sure it would be possible and began planning a Disney World trip instead.
YouTube star emotional surprise
What we know:
However, according to the Children’s Dream Fund, MrBeast’s production team contacted the non-profit after finding the organization online while searching for wish-granting groups. The team wanted to help make dreams come true for children with critical illnesses as part of a new video.
Emmanuel ultimately became the featured child at the end of the video and, according to the Children’s Dream Fund, also received an invitation to tour MrBeast’s studio in North Carolina.
What they’re saying:
Emmanuel Ruiz Vasquez said meeting MrBeast exceeded anything he could have imagined.
“That was like the best experience of my life. It was so fun because I never knew it was going to be MrBeast,” he said.Â
Read more America’s top states according to US News & World Report: See where your state ranks
Children’s Dream Fund Executive Director Amanda Walker said the organization was surprised when MrBeast’s team reached out.
“They reached out and said they wanted to help a lot of kids make some dreams come true,” Walker told FOX 13, adding dream experiences often have a powerful impact on everyone involved. “Oftentimes, when a sponsor or a celebrity is granting the dream, it impacts them just as much.”
Emmanuel said he’s thankful for everyone who helped him through his cancer journey.
“I’m really grateful because without them, I couldn’t like be here right now,” he said.Â
Children’s Dream Fund impact
By the numbers:
According to the Children’s Dream Fund, eight children served by the non-profit were featured in MrBeast’s recent dream-granting video.
The organization says it has fulfilled more than 4,500 dreams for children with life-threatening illnesses across West Central Florida since 1981. More than 170 children are currently waiting for their dreams to come true.
Local fundraiser upcoming event
What’s next:
The young cancer survivor is now preparing for another special experience. He will participate in the Children’s Dream Fund’s Rays on the Runway fundraiser on Aug. 27, where children are paired with Tampa Bay Rays players for a fashion show.
Read more Tampa officer fired after Taser use, policy violations: ‘You’re lucky I didn’t beat you up’
About the Author
