Brayden's Star

One little star, one special place.

Arriving at Give Kids the World, Brayden was given a star.  A little star that will always be a part of Give Kids the World.

Here is how it works...

Upon arriving at the Village each of our Wish Children receives a golden star along with an invitation from the Star Fairy to bring the star to our Enchanted Castle of Miracles. Once there the children sit at a mushroom table that appears to have grown right through the Castle floor. They write their name on the star, close their eyes, make one very special wish, and then place the star in the Star Fairy’s wooden chest. With animation, twinkling lights, and pure magic the star disappears from the chest with a promise that the Star Fairy will gather up all of the stars each day, capturing all of the treasured memories the children have made, and place them in the Castle sky that night.

The next day the children, along with their families, rush to the castle to locate their star, knowing that they now have a permanent place in the Village and our hearts.

Brayden's star is in the Castle of Miracles, just above the entrance into the Jolly Hollow. 

 

The entire ceiling of the Castle is covered with thousands of stars.  Thousands of children have come to Give Kids the World, a place for children dealing with life-threatening illnesses and their families.  Stand in the middle of the castle, look up at all of the stars twinkling from the lights in the rooms...it feels magical, a sense of warm and comfort, but at the same time you cannot help but feel sadness...a smile with tears.  All of these children have battled an illness or disease or disability with pain, suffering...parents working hard to help and comfort their children and keep their family moving ahead...lives dramatically altered in doctor offices or with a test...lives that are hard and exhausting...still filled with joy and lots of love.  Gazing up to the stars, a sobering thought to realize many of these children are no longer here on earth, the star is just another imprint that they had on this world.  God has blessed us with these children that have shaped our lives in ways we could have never anticipated...little superstars in our lives.

We were also given a star to take home with us as a reminder that Brayden will always be a part of Give Kids the World and of all of the memory making moments.