Michael Hunter

We spent today visiting family about an hour and a half from our home. Nikki had a low while we were there, 56, and got quite dizzy, faint and unfocused. After the incident was over, I was silently brooding over how much I hate type 1. Shortly after this we arrived at my parents’ home; my niece Brittany, who also has T1, her son and my youngest nephew Michael were there as well. Michael, who is 9 years old, immediately, began talking to Amber & Nikki in the kitchen – I figured he was trying to convince them of something, and with Michael you’re never sure what that may be :-D. I moved closer to investigate. He turned to me and asked “Chi Chi would you like to give a dollar to help me cure diabetes?”

Well, needless to say I was touched and listened as he told me all about the fundraiser he’s doing at his school. I called him on my way home to ask him why he decided to do this fundraiser; he doesn’t usually participate in school fundraising projects as a rule. He told me simply “I wanted to help Nikki and Brittany”. I also asked him if someone else convinced him to raise money or is this something he wanted to do on his own. He told me that no one made him; he just wanted to help his sister and his cousin. (In case I've lost you: my daughter Nikki is his cousin, and my niece Brittany is his big sister. Brittany and Michael are pictured above holding his fundraising envelope.)

Of course I knew no one made him, I just wanted him to put his reasons for raising money into his own words. I couldn’t be prouder. Michael doesn’t even know that his efforts tonight, and his simple question “would you like to help me cure diabetes”, made a huge difference in how down I was feeling about T1 at that moment. Hope comes in all shapes, sizes and moments. Tonight it came in the form of Michael Hunter.