Starlight Gave My Family Powerful Signs of Hope

Written by: Mike, Magnus’ Dad

I am a lot more camera-shy than my son, Magnus. To no surprise, when I asked him if I should write our story with Starlight, he said, “Let’s go, Dad!”

So here I go.

Around January this year, our 10-year-old son Magnus was diagnosed with transverse myelitis. His diagnosis shook my wife and me to the core. In a matter of three days, our active, playful little boy went from running around the playground to losing his ability to walk, grip, and control his bowel and bladder.

He was suddenly completely immobile.

The first weeks were overwhelming and frightening. The only comfort we held onto in those early days was that Magnus still had his wits about him — and his sense of humor. Even when his body wasn’t cooperating, his spirit was still very much Magnus.

As a family, it hasn’t been easy. His brothers haven’t seen him in nearly two months as I’m sharing this. My beautiful and adoring wife (who has been and continues to be my rock throughout this) and I talk every day, but since coming to Blythedale, we haven’t spent more than thirty minutes together at a time. We switch every three or four days so one of us can be with Magnus while the other holds things down at home and at work. But we haven’t been alone. Our brothers and sisters have stepped up in a huge way — helping with our other boys, giving us space to focus on Magnus, and even starting a GoFundMe to help us manage the financial strain of being on a single income during this time. It hasn’t been easy. But we’re doing our best to make it work.

Image: Magnus with his brothers before his diagnosis.

Starlight showed up with video games and plushies among other things — but those are his favorites — and immediately lifted his spirits. It made the hospital feel a little less heavy. There were really hard days at Cohen’s, and we know there may be more ahead. But on those toughest days, those plushies became more than just toys. They were something he could hold onto — literally and emotionally.

Seeing him excited about something again was such a gift.

And having something like Mario Kart on the Starlight Gaming Station to look forward to after hours of treatment gave him motivation. It broke up the day. It gave him something normal. Something fun. More than the fun, though, it gave him back a sense of dignity.

In a season where so much felt out of his control, he didn’t feel different in those moments. He felt like himself. Confident. Engaged. Excited. During one of the darkest and most uncertain times of our lives, he created memories he’ll probably carry with him forever.

Image: Magnus playing with a toy from the Starlight Toy Delivery program.