Dozens of volunteers near Cleveland, along with strangers in other states came together to give one local teen a reason to get outside. His name is Jack McBride--and he has special needs and lives with his parents. Part of the reason he stays inside is because there are trains in every room of his house. Ever since he was a very little boy, he has been super into trains. Now 16, the Avon teen has giant train tracks running through his backyard.
Special Wish is an organization that helps make dreams come true. The organization contacted members of the Northern Ohio Garden Railroad Society. They had teams of people who came in and moved ground and brought in stone--and made a train yard--not just some model trains--but a mini train yard for Jack. The first thing he did when he saw it was come outside and got right down on the ground so he could be at eye-level with the trains.
This effort goes well beyond Northeast Ohio, with a member of the Garden Railroad Society in Iowa donating the trains and power packs with another in Kansas providing the buildings.
Jack had no clue any of this was in the works. He was so happily surprised and plans to spend lots of time in his own private trainyard...