HANCOCK COUNTY — Tyler Ralstin went on a trip to Hawaii with his family in January funded by the Make-A-Wish Foundation after battling leukemia.
The Fortville Elementary School fifth-grader played on the beach, went snorkeling, attended a luau, played at the hotel pool and went zip-lining.
“It was super fun,” he said.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryHe had so much fun that he wanted to make sure other kids battling life-threatening diseases have the opportunity to get wishes granted as well.
Tyler started a fundraiser with a goal of raising $1,111 by his 11th birthday on March 11.
“I’m just trying to get another kid to be able to go on a Make-A-Wish,” he said.
It didn’t take him long to surpass his goal, and he raised $2,969 by Feb. 21. Later that night, he addressed the crowd during halftime at Mt. Vernon High School’s boys basketball game against New Palestine High School. Mt. Vernon Athletics tweeted $2,079.85 was raised during the third quarter.
Stacy Muffler, principal at Fortville Elementary School, said she’s proud of the initiative Tyler has taken.
“I think that’s a goal for all educators and parents — to see kids take a leadership role in their community and give back,” Muffler said. “Anytime that I think their kids have that pull in their heart to give back — that’s the ideal, that’s what we want for all kids and all people in our community. I think our community’s super generous and we have big hearts, and so I’m super proud seeing our kids have that same compassion to give. It’s pretty awesome.”
Tyler was diagnosed with leukemia in 2017 before undergoing radiation, a bone marrow transplant and immunotherapy. He went into remission in November 2018 and was the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Indiana Chapter’s 2019 Indianapolis Boy of the Year.
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Donate to Tyler Ralstin’s Make-A-Wish fundraiser at site.wish.org/goto/FightLikeTy.
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