GoFundMe Heroes

“Caring and kind people are the best people, and Paul’s that person for me.” — Kamden, age 8

Kamden was born with a tumor on his spine. Doctors removed the tumor to save his life, but the operation left him paralyzed from the chest down. As a result, he’s been in a wheelchair his entire life.

One day in kindergarten, Kamden rolled out to the playground for recess. As he looked for something to do, a boy named Paul crossed the yard to Kamden and introduced himself. “I just saw him and thought he was gonna be a cool person,” says Paul. The fact that Kamden had a wheelchair didn’t matter one bit. Paul and Kamden have been best friends ever since.

Kamden will likely be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, but he doesn’t let that fact get him down. In fact, he makes the most of it. In his time, he plays adaptive basketball and sled hockey (a challenging version of ice hockey on sleds instead of skates), and he and Paul play together like any other 8-year-old kids—racing down the block, boxing, and even kayaking.

But his wheelchair had significant drawbacks, too. For one, it was wider than the door to his home bathroom, so he always required assistance to get in and out. And as he grew from a small kindergartener to an athletic second grader, his wheelchair stayed the same.

Suddenly, Kamden’s wheelchair started to betray him. He’d be rolling along and the balance would shift, pitching him to the ground. Falling out of his chair became a routine concern.

Paul witnessed many of these moments, and he wanted to do something to help his best friend. So he started a GoFundMe.

With his mom’s permission and assistance, Paul set up the GoFundMe with a goal of $3,900—enough for a new fitted wheelchair for Kamden.

They shared the campaign and the story of Paul and Kamden’s friendship, and the community quickly rallied behind them. In just two weeks, they met their fundraising goal.

Thanks to his best friend Paul and GoFundMe donors, Kamden now has a brand-new fitted wheelchair.

He and Paul are finally back to racing down the block worry-free and playing their favorite games, and they hope their success inspires other people to make a difference.

“If two young kids could do it, anybody could do it.” — Paul, age 8

While the new wheelchair has made an incredible difference in Kamden’s life, his expenses will be ongoing.

In the past few months, Kamden has required two surgeries. Each time, his mother had to leave work in order to stay home and care for him during his recovery. As a result, money has been tight, so ongoing donations to Paul’s GoFundMe continue to help Kamden and his family.