Paralyzed boy makes unique request to Make-a-Wish Foundation

The Make-a-Wish Foundation was a little thrown by one boy's request -- to spend more time outdoors with his family.

"I had never heard of a more unique or simple wish," Sonya Purington, marketing and communications director at Make-A-Wish Maine, told Today. "He's a boy who just wants to have the independence to play with his family. His wish really touched all of our hearts."

Kellan Tilton, 3, from Maine was born in 2012 with a large tumor in his spine and abdomen, Today reports. At just three days old, doctors diagnosed him with stage three neuroblastoma and started chemotherapy. He was able to beat the cancer at six months old but was left paralyzed.

"He beat the cancer dragon, but will forever have the battle scars," Kellan's mom, Elizabeth Tilton, wrote on Facebook.

Kellan told Make-a-Wish that he has a hard time playing in his backyard “because the grass is too hard,” Today reports. He loves to spend time by the barn in his backyard, and the foundation was able to construct a path connecting his house to the barn.

“Throughout the week, Kellan watched through the window and even got to help out by hammering nails in place and assisting with driving the tractor,” Today reports.

When the pathway was finally finished, the Make-a-Wish Foundation brought Kellan to a wiffle-ball tournament hosted by the foundation and let him throw the first pitch.

“He doesn’t let the wheelchair constrain him,” Kellan’s dad, Dan Tilton, told Today. “He’ll sit in the backyard and throw the ball and swing the bat better than most kids I’ve seen.”

Kellan and his family were then taken back to their house to see the final product of their backyard pathway. A playground and sandbox full of toys were an added surprise for the boy.

"When he rolled outside for the first time, everyone went crazy with applause," Dan Tilton told Today. "It was a really emotional experience."

Read more at today.com