In an afternoon where kindness was the headliner, Make-A-Wish East Tennessee and partnering logistics giant, Axle Logistics, joined forces to turn the dreams of four resilient youngsters into a palpable reality; with Brodie Bridge, a 15-year-old from Loudon, receiving a cutting-edge gaming setup that promises to keep his spirits high as he confronts pediatric cancer. "I still can’t really believe it, it’s so awesome to have," Bridge, battling a rare form of the disease, spoke of his new gaming computer, as reported by WATE.
Monday's ceremony at Axle Logistics wasn't merely a handover of grand gifts, it was a bridge to normalcy for teens like Bridge, who finds in his new computer not just a machine, but a lifeline to the camaraderie of friends online, at a time where in-person frolics are fenced off by the realities of treatment and as he said on his condition, seeking more than a fleeting respite, he desires a diversion "I can play on and have a distraction from every day and not a vacation for a couple of days," Bridge explained in an interview obtained by WBIR.
Axle Logistics, clearly invested in the fabric of their community, sees such initiatives as central to their corporate ethos; Ali Fraley, VP of Learning and Development, expressed the company's commitment noting, "What they’re doing over at East Tennessee Make-A-Wish, it’s just incredible to give back to the kids that are in such a season of life and we’re just happy to be a part of it," she praised the partnership in a conversation with WATE.
The altruism stretched beyond personal computers and into the realm of adventure, as two other recipients, Natalie from Knoxville and Alyssa from Walland, are slated to embark on beach horseback rides and a visit to Snake Discovery in Minnesota, respectively; this summer for them will be marbled with the joy of new experiences distracted from the rough edges of their medical battles, articulated by a spokesperson from Make-A-Wish East Tennessee which caters to 36 counties in a statement to WVLT.
Community spirit will continue to rally for these youngsters as WATE joins forces with sister station WJHL for a telethon scheduled on June 6, all in the name of bolstering Make-A-Wish East Tennessee's capacity to grant more wishes; a cause where locals can tune in and lend their support, nurturing the ripple of generosity that, as Bridge put it, helps him "feel like a kid again," according to WATE.
