A Scooby-Doo Wish For Nick

Nick never knew he had cancer. He did know that he was sick and that he had a brain stem tumor, but since his grandma had recently died of lung cancer, his parents were worried that Nick would be afraid that he too would die, and that he would give up hope and the will to live. Their judgment paid off, for to the end, Nick remained a bright, courageous little boy full of love and vibrant personality—so much so that his entire class would miss him when he was absent. 'Nick's here!' they would shout whenever he returned to class after his radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Nick's passions in life included Pokemon, Cubix, and in particular, Scooby-Doo. An avid reader and artist, he'd devour the cartoons, then draw his own pictures and create his own stories. 'Often he will draw all the pictures to tell a story, then go back and write in the words. He's done this ever since he could read' his mom explained. Only six years old, he chose a wish that many adults would envy: to meet the animators behind the Scooby-Doo cartoons.

Waiting for a dream can be hard for kids, so we asked our network of supporters if they had any ideas. A kind donor arranged for Nick to have his own private viewing of the new Scooby-Doo movie for his entire first-grade class! And that wasn't all—each kid received a Scooby-Doo necklace, T-shirt, and Spooky Island figure—plus popcorn, treats, and soda of course! A special guest appearance by the Scooby-Doo characters and a real live Scooby-Doo dog, and the experience was complete. But best of all, this compassionate little guy was able to share his wish with his buddies—the same friends who had sent him get-well cards when he was away in Texas undergoing pioneering treatments to try to save his life, and whom he greeted with 'The Nick is back' after his long absence.

When Nick's wish day dawned, he, his parents, and little brother traveled to Los Angeles to meet the folks behind Scooby-Doo. A limo took them to Warner Brothers Studios, where Nick was escorted to his very own executive office, complete with nameplate on the door, grand piano, desk, and whiteboard! There, Nick met on of the writers behind Scooby's great adventures. Together, they collaborated on a brand new Scooby-Doo adventure. 'Nick told the writer what his idea was (he wanted a spooky castle) then the writer asked him if he wanted a mad scientist,' Nick's mom explained. Then they had to choose a name. 'Dr. Rico!' suggested Dad. (Rico is the name of Nick's dog). Nick also wanted to see a monster truck in the story. After their note taking, the artist arrived, with a toolbox full of stuff for Nick to be able to draw the story. They also brought in two-inch thick stacks of drawings of poses to demonstrate how they created the animations. Eventually, they took a break and took a tour of the building. Everyone was laughing and joking around, and had a hard time convincing the visiting family that they really were working—just having a lot of fun in the process! Nick even met Iwao Takamoto the artist who originally designed Scooby-Doo, and who drew a very special personalized Scooby portrait for Nick that day. 'Everyone was as excited as Nick. They had never had anyone want to go there before,' Nick's mom told us. Employees had arranged for Scooby to make a surprise guest appearance, and they showered Nick with mementoes: DVDs, a Scooby backpack, beach towel, and mystery machine toy. But Nick's favorite time of all was when the artist came in with the story complete. He asked for Nick's approval. 'Yeah, that's what I wanted,' confirmed Nick. Then together they came up with the images to accompany the story. Carefully reading each section, Nick would decide what drawing should go with the words. Nick drew a spooky castle. The artist drew one too. Nick asked for a path. The artist drew it. And so, with touching consideration for Nick's every word and idea, the artist completed the book entitled 'Scooby-Doo Meets Dr. Rico.'

By this time, everyone was tired and hungry, so it was time to wrap up the day's activities. The artist gave Nick an original drawing of a character he had created, Fang Face, and Nick also received a poster signed by the famous Joseph Barbera of Hanna-Barbera fame.

Back home, Nick never ceased to enjoy those souvenirs of his trip. And each night, especially as Nick's hold on life faltered and he became increasingly weak, he and his family would read Scooby-Doo Meets Dr. Rico together. Nick was diagnosed with cancer in March. His wish came true in July. In November, he passed away. His parents remember him as an outgoing and happy child who was always willing to help anybody else. And they remember their last summer together, when they tried to fit in a lifetime of camping, fun, and childhood joys into a few short months. Nick's courage was an inspiration to his parents, who describe how 'he seemed determined to make it through Halloween because he loved that holiday so much.' And his book, beautifully bound by another kind donor in a deep red hardback cover with gold embossing, serves as a tender reminder to Nick's family and friends of Nick's bright and creative spirit, and of the joy his wish brought to them all.