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On the newspapers on which I worked as a reporter, they called these “plight stories.” A story about someone in trouble, someone in need, and yes, there are many out there, and, yes, you can’t cover them all (that would be a full-time job). But once in a while there is one so compelling that you must get to it ASASP. And so it is with the ongoing saga of 3-year-old Killy Sedarlis who suffers from terminal brain cancer. The lively Chargers fan blog Boltblitz.com in San Diego is pulling out all stops to ask, virtually plead, for its loyal readers and Facebook followers to send gifts that the boy will be given an event in San Diego on December 13.
Here’s part of the post by editor Dave Peters:
We all have our ups and downs. We go through things that seem to destroy our core and make us, inevitably, feel sorry for ourselves. Yet, we are all here to complain about it, voice our disgust for those things that are dragging us down and forcing us into moments that having us question what life has to offer.
Stop it. Just stop it.
This Christmas, Charger fans, we have an opportunity to get behind and support a young man who is battling for his life. When I say a young man, I mean a 3-year-old boy who is a HUGE Charger fan. I have a healthy 3-year-old son. He’s bigger than some of the 5-year-olds at his school. I almost lost him and my ex-wife at his birth, but we were blessed for them both to have found a way to survive.
The young man we’re talking about is fighting tooth and nail to see each and every day. He is tougher than you, me and anyone you know.
Yes, it’s that serious.
We now have a youngster that deserves the support of all the Charger family. Killy Sardelis has terminal brain cancer. He is fighting everyday, literally. He goes through physical pain as he watches his mother, Amanda Marie Sardelis, stand by his side while he continues to stay strong. There are certain things that can bring immediate tears to your eyes. Thinking of a young boy battling with everything he’s got makes me reconsider how thankful I should be for everything that I have been given.
I am so inspired by Killy.
We have an event on December 13th where we are meeting Killy and his mother, Amanda, at Chargers Park and giving him as many gifts as we can gather up.
For those parents out there, what would you do, and what would you feel, if your child was in this position? What would you do?
Thomas Powell, senior writer and reporter for BoltBlitz.com, found Killy’s mother on Facebook. When he saw his story, he said, “We are doing something and we are doing something BIG!” He took the initiative to contact Amanda and set up this amazing event. Powell has gone out and requested that every Charger fan change their profile picture to a picture of Killy. Needless to say, it has received an incredibly amazing response. Hundreds of individuals have done so and plan on doing what they can to help build up this young boy’s spirit.
Thomas has already talked to the Chargers and confirmed the date of December 13th as a day to show Killy that we are all in his corner. He has taken this project under his wing without any direction from me. It is safe to say that I am beyond words that he has reached out to all of you in an effort to provide you the opportunity to be a part of something as heartfelt as this.
GO TO THIS LINK to the original Boltblitz post and find out how you can help.
And there is a You Tube that shows you this wonderful child and his mother — and their love:
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.