The moment Trayton wakes up in the morning, he wants to play video games and start streaming. From his bedroom in Montana, he connects with his closest friends, Hannah and her brother, who live in Ohio. Together, they delve into some of their favorite games. Through chatting online with fellow video game enthusiasts and connecting over streaming platforms, Trayton has made friendships that extend beyond the confines of his bedroom. With a smile that lights up the whole room, Trayton shares about his love for video games and his streaming community. “They just make me happy,” he says. For Trayton, he finds strength in turning to games like Fortnite, Fall Guys, and Minecraft. Trayton’s mom, Emily, explains that these games allow Trayton the chance to do things he is unable to do in real life because of his illness.  

Emily didn’t suspect anything when Trayton took longer learning to walk than other toddlers. Yet, as time went on, she began noticing that it was especially difficult for her son to climb stairs, and, worrying that something may be wrong with Trayton's feet, Emily took him to their doctor. Though no complications were found at the appointment, Trayton soon fell sick and ended up in the hospital. An extremely high level of liver enzymes prompted a series of tests and a biopsy. Ruling out any problems with the liver, more tests followed until the answer was discovered. After about two years of tests and appointments, at age four, Trayton was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Emily was unsure what the diagnosis meant. “I asked if it meant he would be in a wheelchair, and the answer was ‘yes.’ My heart was broken.” Trayton visited the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) clinic in Montana, where more of Emily’s questions were answered. “I learned exactly what everything meant. Knowing there would be no cure for him, I knew sooner than later this disease would take him away from us.”  

DMD affects all the muscles in the body. “I can’t walk. My heart is weak. My lungs are weak,” Trayton explains. Though Trayton relies on telehealth appointments with the MDA clinic, hospice services, and a combination of medications to manage his care as the disease progresses, Trayton focuses on the moments that bring him happiness – playing with his sister, Frances; enjoying a nice slice of pepperoni pizza, his favorite food; spending time drawing portraits of his family and characters in video games.  

Trayton had seen videos on YouTube of Make-A-Wish granting kids’ wishes. He was drawn to videos of kids who received brand new gaming equipment or met their favorite streamers.

A social worker through the MDA clinic shared more about Make-A-Wish with the family, and when Trayton felt ready, Emily reached out to Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana.   

Yet, deciding on his wish was no easy task. “It was so hard to decide the wish,” Trayton recalls. Knowing he wanted to do something related to his love for video games, the decision came down to either the chance to play with his favorite YouTuber or upgrading his gaming setup. After much thought, Trayton chose the latter, knowing new equipment would be something he could use all day, every day, and he was eager to explore the streaming opportunities that having a new setup would unlock.  

Trayton excitedly awaited his wish, sneaking peeks into his mom’s phone to see if Katie, his wish manager, had emailed. Jacob, a streaming friend of Trayton’s, helped Trayton pick out all the equipment he would receive. Together, they found the “best of the best.”  

On his thirteenth birthday, packages with Trayton’s name on them arrived in the mail. “I can’t believe I got my wish on that day,” Trayton says. His new gaming setup consisted of Trayton’s dream laptop, a keyboard, a mouse with a light-up mouse pad, and a headset. Make-A-Wish made sure an overbed table was included in the delivery, which would help increase the accessibility for Trayton. He received a customized Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana banner to decorate his wall, and a neon, illuminated “GAME ON” sign above his bed made the new setup official. Professional photographer and close friend, Ri Mason, offered to capture Trayton's wish day for the family, and Make-A-Wish surprised Trayton with a delivery of pepperoni pizza from Rosa’s Pizza, his favorite pizzeria.  

Trayton’s wish came at a much-needed time. A few months before his thirteenth birthday, Trayton became bedbound, with movement growing increasingly limited for him. “It’s really hard when you’re bedbound,” Emily emphasizes.

The processing power of the laptop Trayton was using prior to his wish couldn’t handle the games Trayton desired to play and the streaming platforms he hoped to use. The new setup provided by Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana equipped him with the technology necessary to stream like his friends do. Though he’s bedbound, he can now socialize on a greater scale with fellow gamers. “It made my gaming community more accessible,” he says. 

Such an opportunity would not have been possible without Make-A-Wish. Emily and her partner, Bailey, are grateful to the volunteers, donors, and the Make-A-Wish staff that transformed Trayton’s wish into a reality. “Even if we had extra money,” Bailey explains, “It could never go toward this. It wouldn’t have been a financial priority.”  

Despite looming medical concerns, Trayton finds happiness reflecting on his wish and what it has added to his life. “Duchenne's is so unfair and utterly a heartbreaking disease,” Emily says. For Trayton and his family, it’s the special moments of joy that make the days worth it. Each day, Trayton is excited to use his gaming equipment and connect with friends across the country who, too, find happiness in the worlds and adventures that await them. Trayton’s family shares in the fun, cherishing that, despite the battle he is facing, Trayton can still spend time with his friends and play all the games his heart desires. “And how wonderful is that?” Emily asks.