Rocco, 8 years old, VA | 1 DAY WAITING

Wish submitted by:

Rocco is a determined boy who has had plenty of practice getting back up. He entered foster care when he was small and has moved between a few homes and schools, each time starting over as the new kid. He has learned that the world doesn’t always stay steady, and that sometimes the best thing to do is to try again. At the neighborhood skate park, the older kids sometimes let him borrow their boards, and he watches them with wide eyes, memorizing every trick and imagining the day he’ll land one of his own. Rocco is spirited, funny, and fearless in a way that sometimes makes his caregivers hold their breath. He cheers loudest for everyone else’s tricks, and he never gives up on his own. He dreams of becoming a pro skater someday, and he is practicing every chance he gets. What Rocco needs most are steady adults who cheer him on, keep him safe, and believe that every tumble is a step toward his dream.

Rocco is a determined skateboarder who dreams of becoming a pro, and he practices whenever he can. Falls are a big part of how he learns, and he even keeps count of them with a grin, always climbing right back on the board. A helmet would make each fall safer by protecting his head while he practices and tries new tricks. It would also give his caregivers peace of mind as they cheer him on. A helmet sends a quiet but powerful message that someone cares enough about him to make sure he is protected. For a boy who is tough, brave, and determined, knowing someone is watching out for him matters deeply. It would give him the protection he needs to keep trying, and the comfort of knowing that his safety is looked after.