2 days Ago By Devika Desai
Eight-year-old Sebastian Knutson had no idea what he was in for when he walked into a small theatre room at the Powerplay movie theatre in Southcentre Mall on a warm Tuesday. Diagnosed with leukemia at just six months old, the first few years of Sebastian’s life had already proved to be harder than what most adults would have to go through. Despite spending those years in and out of hospitals, chemo treatments and other forms of cancer care, on Tuesday he walked in with a shy smile on his face, blonde hair that flopped onto his forehead and a jaunt in his step.
Sitting in the theatre with his parents and younger brother, the movie screen came to life as the trademark Star Wars opening crawl rolled onto the screen. He thought he was about to watch a new Star Wars movie, he would later say, until he saw his name on the screen. “Jedi Sebastian displays his bravery, determination and grit as he navigates his own medical journey,” reads the opening lines to the movie, titled “Episode X: A Wish.
” He was given a new mission. “You and your family are required to report for duty as you begin your mission to Galaxy’s Edge in Walt Disney World this May!” the text read. The lights came on in the room, after which several people clad in blue t-shirts and wide grins jumped up from their seats and hidey spots with signs affirming that Sebastian was about to fulfil a long-held dream — to visit Disney World with his parents and go on every ride possible.
When asked about the surprise later, Sebastian shyly responded that he was “really excited.” His parents, Terra Carnie and Nathan Knutson, were tearful. “It’s been a long road for him,” Carnie said.
“Going through this, it brings back all the memories from the time when he was first diagnosed, when we were new parents and still learning and then (being thrown) a curveball with cancer,” Knutson said. “And Make-A-Wish. It takes a lot of community to get through something like that.
” ‘A lot of moving parts’ Sebastian’s wish-come-true comes as part of the 15th annual World Wish Day, thanks to Make-A-Wish Canada, a non-profit that grants wishes to children with critical illnesses to help them feel happier during hard times. Simona Lupa, the organization’s chapter director for Southern Alberta, has organized days like these several times over the past few years. But that hasn’t diminished the sense of excitement among her and her team and the “rewarding feeling” of being able to give to a child who has been through so much, she said.
“It’s very rewarding to see the smile on the kid’s face when you grant their wish,” she said, “and see how much it means for them and their family to go on a trip and forget about everything, the doctor visits, the needles. And it provides that safe space for building memories and a happy environment.” It took about a week for the team to pull the plan together, with support from Southcentre Mall and the 501st Legion (an international Star Wars costuming organization) to give Sebastian the best day of his life.
“There were quite a lot of moving parts,” she said. “We had an army of people going behind the scenes and organizing this wish. We wanted to make it a special day for Sebastian and our wish children.
” ‘Thankful to people who reach out to us’ For Shane Munro, it’s all about bringing a smile to the kids’ faces. He donned a Chewbacca costume and sauntered into the theatre room right after Sebastian was given the news and attempted a conversation in trademark Chewbacca vernacular, alongside a number of Stormtroopers and an R2D2. Sebastian, however, was too agog to manage much of a response to Munro’s Chewbacca stature.
“We try and stay in character for the whole process because we don’t want to ruin the magic for the kids,” he said. He and the other volunteers, who had handmade and brought their own Star Wars costumes, had taken the day off work to bring the surprise to life for Sebastian. “We are always on the go and we’re always busy and thankful to people who reach out to us,” said Beth Forlin, the South Alberta garrison events coordinator.
“If our presence can bring some joy to the children and the adults.” Sebastian and his family leave in a week and will spend seven days at the theme park, where he says he plans to go on all the rides he can. What’s his favourite ride? “Tron,” he said firmly.
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