DENVER (KDVR) — Imagine being 14 years old and getting to spend the day at your favorite football team’s home. Add Grandpa, and the team’s mascot. Only one thing could make the day better.
“My daughter let me know, she said how would you like to spend the day with the Bronco cheerleaders? And I said you gotta be kidding me,” said Terry Brailsford, who accompanied his grandson Kevin, Saturday.
But, the day wasn’t just about being a fan, thanks to Joseph Wampler, and Camp Wamp.
“Every kid needs a camp experience. Especially kids that have been told maybe that they’re not gonna be able to do some things,” said Wampler.
The kids attending this camp know a little something about facing challenges. Kevin was born with moebius syndrome. It paralyzes his face. He can’t move his eyes side to side or swallow. But he can still experience and enjoy a day with his favorite team.
“Just by his body language, he’s been doing a lot of clapping, putting his arms out, and that body language tells us that he’s really happy,” said Brailsford. “He’s enjoying the moment.”
The moments Kevin and others are experiencing are a by product of the pandemic. Camp Wamp usually happens in Northern California. It’s a camp for kids who have special challenges. The pandemic put an end to it this year, so Wampler took it on the road.
“My dad was born with cerebral palsy, and he went to a camp like this when he was younger, which taught him he could do literally anything he wanted in life,” said Wampler.
This camp is making an impression on more than just the campers.
“I think we’re all having a great time. We’re learning from each other, we’re all celebrating each other,” said McKenna Hester, a Denver Broncos cheerleader. “I think it’s important to really show that we can break boundaries. This group has done an incredible job showing that you can break those boundaries, there are no limits to what you can do.”
Making memories and breaking boundaries, something certainly worth cheering for.