Brave Young Hearts

Children that are enduring the fight against terminal or life-threatening diseases...maybe, just maybe...they dream and plan and plan and dream of doing something special...an Outdoor Adventure and a Chance At Normal!!!

Testimonials

Ava's Mom Ashley - So, not long after Ava's transplant, she was blessed with an amazing outdoor adventure from Brave Young Hearts! Covid delayed things, which actually worked out since Ava had that colonized infection, reflux, and then the ureter re-implantation surgery last summer…but we made it to Jackson, Wyoming yesterday! It's absolutely amazingly beautiful, and we've already seen so many animals and incredible views! We are so grateful, and so excited to let the adventure begin!
Thank you so much Brave Young Hearts! Ava and the rest of us had an incredible, unforgettable time.

Haddie's Mom Amber wrote "We are eternally grateful to Brave Young Hearts for the incredible adventure that they gave our daughter, Hadley. She has been battling brain cancer since she was born, and it was just amazing to be able to give her the most wonderful outdoor experiences. Brave Young Hearts provided us with an RV adventure and we were able to take Hadley hiking at Arches, to walk along the rim of the Grand Canyon, to put her toes in ocean, walking into caverns, and so many other things. Our family shared with her the adventure of a lifetime thanks to this wonderful organization."

Kellie Burkhart - "What you all do to honor your beautiful granddaughter is profound and beautiful! Thank you for blessing these young warrior children who fight hard in life every day!"

A while back we started putting an adventure list together for our little guy Carter. It was important to him that we didn't call it a Bucket List, but rather put focus on the adventures he wanted to experience. Out of this grew an extensive list of all the things he wanted to experience.

Top of his list was going to a Newsboys Concert. I (mom) put out on Facebook that we were looking to get Carter to the Newsboys concert and was wondering how people go about getting backstage passes. This lead us to Brave Young Hearts.
Oh what an adventure they made possible for our little guy!!

In the afternoon we headed to the venue and we were greeted by Susan, a manager at the Bicentennial Center. She was also excited to meet Carter and spoiled him with love and attention. She gave us a private tour of the facilities and we got to watch the final set up for the show. All the while Carter's anticipation was rising for what was coming next.

We headed backstage where Carter got a private meeting with the Newsboys band. He was giddy with excitement as he talked with them and had them sign some stuff Brave Young Hearts had sent him with. The band then laid hands on Carter and prayed with him. It was extremely touching for everyone, especially us as parents. The whole time through the prayer, Michael Tait held Carter's hand. Carter couldn't take his eyes off of him and I venture to guess he was in a little shock that this was all happening.
The night ended with Carter's favorite song "God's Not Dead." Carter sang his heart out during that song and we were not sure how he had a voice afterwards.

Overall this experience was beyond anything we could have imagined. From the little details being taken care of, all the way to the epic adventure of meeting Carter's favorite band, it was all in place. Meaning there was nothing we as parents had to worry about. We could sit back and enjoy the adventure right alongside Carter. It was fantastic to watch him anticipate this adventure for weeks beforehand and then see the joy light up as it all was happening.

It truly was a time when we could all, especially Carter, let go of the trials at home and just be in the moment. Soak in the time and build lasting memories together. Our days and weeks are always filled with stress and overwhelming fears at times. The laughter that we experienced together was something that no money could ever buy.

Most of all we are thankful to Brave Young Hearts for granting our child the experience of a lifetime!!!

Thank you for seeing in him a boy needing an adventure to help him continue pushing on through the hard days ahead. Thank you for thinking ahead to all the details, so that we didn't have to think of it ourselves. This is a blessing beyond explanation. We will forever carry these memories close to our heart! Memories were made this weekend that we will forever treasure in our hearts!

Jill - Carter's Mom

Dear Brave Young Hearts (Mama & Papa Bear),
I would like to start off by saying…What an AMAZING trip we had!! From Key West to Costa Maya, and everything in between...