(mentions CMT) Carl Schurz student wins Disney World trip

[Guest guest]

Carl Schurz student wins Disney World trip

by J. Weilbacher

The Herald-Zeitung Published November 15, 2009

http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lasso?ewcd=ff8d0a1d15a67f36

Hunter Garza and his family received some great news Oct. 1.

He was selected to be part of this year's " Kidd's Kids, " an organization founded

by Kidd Kraddick, a nationally syndicated radio host. The program takes children

with special needs and rare diseases to meet in Disney World.

About 55 children and their families were selected this year to go together and

bond in Disney World.

According to the organization's Web site, " Children selected for the Kidd's Kids

trip are between the ages of 5 and 12, suffer from a chronic or terminal

illness, and/or are physically challenged or have a catastrophic impairment due

to an accident/birth defect. The child must also reside in one of the Kidd

Kraddick In The Morning radio show listening areas and demonstrate a financial

need. " This is the 15th year for the trip. Listeners make charitable donations

for the trip to the radio program, heard locally on 96.1 FM, and the event is

funded also by corporate sponsorship.

All expenses were paid for, including hotels and meals. The Garzas just returned

from the trip, which was from Nov. 5-9.

Hunter applied in June, and his mother, le, told him to keep a good

attitude about the application.

" Just pray that God hand picks the families that deserve it, " she recalls

telling Hunter.

Hunter Garza is 11 years old, and over the course of his life he has been

diagnosed with three unrelated illnesses: muscular dystrophy CMT, epilepsy and

Legg-Perthes Disease.

By the age of nine, Hunter had received 29 trophies for karate, soccer, baseball

and football, but had to give up most of these sports because of his conditions.

" He would fall several times running to all the bases, " le Garza said.

" But he would get up and keep going. "

The family, his parents, le Garza and Alice Cadena, and nine-year-old

sister Haley Garza were flown into Dallas to meet all the other families and

children selected for this year's trip, and boarded a chartered flight directly

to Orlando with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders cheering them on.

There have been a few improvements in Hunter's life encouraging him. A device

was put into his chest that prevents multiple seizures throughout the day, and

he is recovering from Legg-Perthes enough to begin gradually playing sports

again.

" We're going to fight. He thinks he's still going to play Unicorn football, "

Garza said.