Uale's Selfless Wish to Give Back

Twelve-year-old Uale, like many boys his age, loves football, riding his bike, playing video games and working out at his local gym. However, Uale was forced to take a step back from his active lifestyle as he faced a critical battle with cancer.

In February 2020, during wrestling season, Uale’s family noticed that he was limping. After months of doctors’ visits and the limp not going away, an MRI revealed a parent’s worst nightmare – cancer. Suddenly, the happy and athletic young teen’s life was no longer filled with football, wrestling matches and workout sessions, but doctors’ visits and chemotherapy.

Throughout his treatment process, Uale relied on his neighborhood gym, Kri Chay’s Urban HIIT FIIT Fitness Training Center, and the close connections he’d made with the owner and other members, to help give him the mental and physical strength to overcome cancer.

A few months into grueling treatment, his scans came back promising, but his tumor hadn’t shrunk. His family was referred back to their oncology surgeon who delivered the devastating news that amputation below his knee was their next best step.

However, Uale wasn’t ready to stop fighting to save his leg. When Uale ran a high fever, the medical team told his family to schedule amputation the next day. Determined to give Uale as normal of a life as possible, his family asked for a second opinion and opted for more intense rounds of radiation and chemotherapy.

While undergoing treatment, his friends at Urban HIIT FIIT continued supporting him, and donated money towards his medical bills. “Kri and his gym have been the main source of helping me stay healthy physically, mentally and emotionally,” said Uale.

Thankfully, the treatments worked and Uale is now not only cancer-free but was able to retain his leg and athletic lifestyle. When Uale learned he would be receiving a wish from Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas, he decided to give back to the gym that helped him so much, especially during his darkest days after the cancer diagnosis. He wished to clean, renovate and purchase new equipment to benefit Chay and all of the other gym members who have given him some much.

On October 16th, his community and Make-A-Wish held a wish reveal luau at Urban HIIT FIIT, celebrating Uale’s health and his Polynesian heritage - while revealing the newly-upgraded gym equipment.

Click HERE to see Uale's story as told by our friends at WDAF-FOX 4.