BILLINGS, Mt. — Thomas is carrying his two new puppies through the aisles of Tractor Supply, picking out treats, toys and supplies — just four days after Hazel and Kai came home through Make-A-Wish.
The moment comes after two years of battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
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Thomas was just 8 years old when he started feeling exhausted, struggling to walk down the stairs and complaining his joints hurt. Within hours of blood work, the family was on a plane to Denver.
"You hear about it happening, but I guess you never think it's going to be you," his dad said.
His mom described the toll the disease took quickly.
"He just lost all his strength," she said.
The months that followed were filled with chemotherapy, blood transfusions, lumbar punctures and long hospital stays. But his parents say Thomas handled it with a strength beyond his years.
"He's just really an impressive kid. I've watched him grow and turn into a kid that is just so empathetic," his mom said.
While treatments became part of daily life, his family tried hard to protect the parts of childhood that still mattered most.
"We tried to keep things normal… he got to see his friends, he went back to school, got to do stuff as normal as he could. Got to be a kid, not a patient," his parents said.
When it came time to choose his Make-A-Wish, Thomas says he knew exactly what he wanted.
"I wanted something that would last," Thomas said.
Now, Hazel and Kai are already becoming part of everyday life.
"It's been some great four days," Thomas said.
With just a few months of treatment left, his family says this chapter finally feels a little lighter.
"I'm excited for it all," Thomas said.
