Most often the first question I am asked is who is the best interview I have ever had. Of course they are expecting my answer to be someone famous.
I know my answer is usually a disappointment as most of the best interviews I have ever had were with what one would call an ordinary person.
However, for me, these are certainly not ordinary people. Well, I should expand, they are ordinary people who have done extraordinary things.
I was blessed to have just such an encounter last Friday when I visited Millarville School where I met one of the most incredible people I have ever had the honour to interview.
This was not a teacher, a parent or another visitor. This was a Grade 8 student who inspired me with his courage, humility and inner strength.
Last Friday I met 14-year-old Kaiden Powell who gave a presentation on the Pink Day fundraiser he organized at the school on May 24. The bake sale and donation drive raised more than $2,500 for the new cancer clinic at the High River Hospital.
True, it is not unusual for a junior high school student to organize a fundraiser for a local charity, but what made this event so compelling was the fact Kaiden’s mom Tina passed away on April 18 from breast cancer.
The pain from losing his mom must be overwhelming, but Kaiden was able to channel those emotions into a fundraiser to honour his mom and her memory. Not only that, he made a presentation to his fellow students about Pink Day and why it was important to him and his family.
To see this young man speak to his classmates and teachers about his mom and what she meant to his family and her community was incredible.
I was even more impressed as Kaiden spoke to me about the details of his mom’s illness and how hard she battled to savour every day she had with her family, whether it was a winter escape to Hawaii or enjoying a warm spring day with her boys.
“I was amazed at how well she did, how she fought,” he said of his mom.
As he told his story he himself fought to maintain his composure describing how his family coped with his mother’s illness and how his dad, Kevin, and two older brothers, Rydan and Branden, struggled to heal.
He spoke about the special moments he shared with his mom including a day of Christmas baking which turned into a family food fight
When I asked him why he wanted to do the Pink Day and donate the proceeds to the cancer clinic his answer was moving, “When I was told she would pass away I felt helpless. I wanted to help because I couldn’t help my mom. I wanted to help others in their fight against cancer.”
This is a young man who has shown tremendous courage, confidence and maturity beyond his years.
To see Kaiden so committed to embracing his mom’s memory and carry on her fight against cancer is nothing less than remarkable.
Kaiden Powell, you are a hero in your community, and an inspiration to classmates, teachers, family and me.
