Saturday 7th September and Invasion Colchester 2019, one of the most loved events in the UK Garrison calendar takes place again, with over 50 members from the UK Garrison and Reel Icons in attendance, along with Rebel Legion, AvP, R2 Builders, and the Mando Mercs, and this year like every other was going to be special...
…but it was made even more special for one particular young man by the name of Samuel.
Samuel was born with severe heart defects, undergoing lifesaving open heart surgery at just 6 days old, and again at 3 months old, with his parents Ricky and Vicki at his bedside the whole time.
At the age of 2 Samuel started to deteriorate rapidly so Great Ormond Street Hospital in London bought him back in for his 3rd open heart surgery. Thankfully this has been the last major surgical procedure to date. However.. and it’s a big however.. its helped but not completely fixed Samuels heart, and now they are just waiting for it to fail again.
There are no more surgical options open to Samuel now. There's only one cure left and that's a heart transplant. Ricky, his father said “We don't have any time scale on this.. it could happen tomorrow or maybe in 5 years, we just don't know but it will come eventually. Samuel is incredibly brave and lives and leads a normal life of any little boy; he goes to school, he has girlfriends, he's just a normal kid who loves his Marvel and DC super heroes and Power Rangers."
Whilst they were in great Ormond Street for his 3rd open heart surgery, the Rays of Sunshine charity approached them and asked if Samuel would like to ‘make a wish’. It took some time for him to recover before his parents were able to ask him… and his answer was simply “I want to see my super heroes at Disney” ..so he wrote his wish and sent this to Rays of Sunshine.
A few months ago Samuels wish was granted by the charity. “We had no idea how to tell him so I contacted Colchester Invasion people through Facebook, which led me to the UK Garrison, and for that I'm truly grateful, because what you guys did will be an everlasting memory for all of us... it's about making memories for Samuel and you certainly did this for him”
Unbeknown to Samuel, our Reel Icons Batman and Cat Woman, along with local costumers the Joker, Harley Quinn and Spiderman were lying in wait around a full size working batmobile to surprise him (and the gathered crowd) and present Samuel with his wish on behalf of Rays of Sunshine. The family will be flown out to Walt Disney World in Florida (yes, he has to take is sisters with him, much to their delight) so his wish can come true and he can meet his super heroes.
Samuel, Daisy and Betsy got to meet and chat with several of their favourite characters up close on Saturday and sit in the batmobile with batman.
.. and this is why we do what we do.
