You may have read about him from the actions of the inspiring students at Boston Middle School. They made 1,000 paper cranes to wish him luck as he recovered from chemotherapy. That’s a lot for one person, you might say, but when you read on, or you get the chance to meet this young man like I did, you will understand why Prestin Butcher is a La Porte County Life in the Spotlight.
Recently celebrating his twelfth birthday, Butcher carried the sweet and happy demeanor that most boys his age have. But Butcher is no ordinary boy. No, he is quite special in fact. He is a survivor. Butcher was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer, in September of 2011. Since then he has been through 30 rounds of radiation and 9 cycles of chemotherapy. After his last chemotherapy sessions, the students at Boston Middle School made him 1000 origami cranes as a symbol of good luck and fortune as he recovered.
Butcher kept a positive attitude and displayed it in his serene smile for me while I interviewed him in the cafeteria which boasted many of the aforementioned origami cranes. He told me all about what he does in his free time.
“I like to be outside, play the Wii,” Butcher informed me. “And go to my grandma’s house. I try to pick a day every week where I can go see her.”
Butcher calls these “Grandma Days." He’ll go over and spend quality time with his grandmother -whether it’s just watching TV together or enjoying a nice dinner with her. Butcher informed me that his grandmother makes excellent mashed potatoes. Props to you, Grandma!
Speaking of family, Butcher lives with his mother and father, and he has an older brother who is attending Eastern Michigan University. They are a very close-knit family, and they all love to have fun. Butcher often plays video games with his brother when he’s home from school and his father just finished making Butcher’s Halloween costume. His dad is quite the craftsman, and it shows in the photo (on the right). Butcher has a bit of trouble walking, but that didn’t stop him from trick-or-treating! His dad turned Butcher’s electric wheelchair into an electric chair! How awesome and innovative is that?
“We usually go to Mississinewa Campgrounds for Halloween, and they do trick-or-treating there. I’m going to wear my costume there. My dad fixes houses, and he built our house, so I asked him if he could help. It’s going to be an electric chair,” Butcher stated proudly.
Butcher’s dad built the boards that go around the chair. Then he burned the boards (on purpose), attached a spaghetti strainer and tubes for the headpiece, and a red light bulb at the top on top. What you can’t see in the photo, readers, is a button that Butcher can press. When he presses the button a strobe light, which Butcher’s dad installed inside the spaghetti strainer, turns on and flashes for added effect. The button also turns the red light bulb on as well. The cherry on top is Butcher in his striped prison garb. If Mississinewa Campground has a costume contest, then this kid will win, hands down.
It has been a difficult road for Butcher. He has endured things that no one his age should have to deal with. But his attitude remains positive, and his outlook is sunny. Butcher is just happy being a kid and this has touched the hearts many around him. It’s a drawing quality that makes you want to talk to him, get to know him, and be his friend. Prestin Butcher, you are a La Porte County Life that really matters.