Homecoming Celebration for Boy with Rare Illness

by Ellis Eskew

Dawson Parker has faconi anemia, a very rare illness that affects the immune system.
While he was in Minnesota getting a bone marrow transplant, he met some friends from the Love Your Melon Foundation.  And Friday they came in on a tour for a special celebration for Dawson and his friends.

It’s a day of fun and celebration.

Dawson Parker is home and doing well.

While Dawson was getting treatment in Minneanapolis, he became friends with two college guys that had started the foundation “Love Your Melon.”
For each hat they sell, they give one to a child battling cancer and other illnesses.

 “It’s amazing we go into these hospital rooms and there are not a lot of smiles going around the room. When you are able to give a hat and these families they are no longer battling cancer anymore, they are just like everybody else,” said Brian Keller, Co-founder of Love Your Melon.

Dawson says, “It was cool.”

But  that’s not all they did.

“So, Zack came in and got down beside him and said what do you like to do? He said I like airplanes and flying. Zack worked it out where he could take a flight on a helicopter over Minneapolis… it put a smile on his face that I hadn’t seen in a while. It made me happier then it probably did Dawson,” said Dawson’s dad, Bobby Parker.

Zack and Brian are  now touring the country with their “Love Your Melon” foundation.
They decided to come visit their friend Dawson and have a party for him and his friends.

 “It’s a celebration of health and life and everything that is good in the world,” said Co-founder Zachary Quinn.

But there was also one more thing they did.

“We brought Dawson to school for the first time in about a year,” said Keller.

Dawson got to see his friends. “We ate break with them,” said Dawson.

The Parkers are grateful.

 “First of all I would like to thank all of our church members at first baptist church and the whole city of wetumpka , elmore county and the surrounding areas for all the financial support. / Just so thankful for the prayers and God bringing him through this and God bringing him home. Thank you so much,” said Dawson’s mom, Penni Parker.