A courageous teenager battling brain cancer gets the surprise of a lifetime from his beloved Florida Gators

By Patrick Snell, CNN

(CNN) — It started with just the kind of news that is every parent’s worst nightmare.

Like so many other teenagers, Jonah Blick was enjoying what should have been a fun-filled day out with friends at the lake. What followed on that ill-fated hot summer’s day in August would change the 14-year-old’s life forever.

The seemingly perfectly healthy and always active youngster from Georgia suffered a massive seizure, with scans later revealing three brain tumors.

“We don’t have any health issues in our family. Literally was at a checkup eight weeks ago, all good. I don’t know why, we thought it would never be us,” Randi Blick, Jonah’s mother, told CNN Sports.

“I, genuinely in a million years, never would have thought it would happen to our son,” she added.

A week after that trip to the lake came news the Blick family had been dreading: Jonah was battling a rare and aggressive form of pediatric brain cancer.

It was a devastating setback for the family, but the courageous teen has already successfully undergone two major surgeries in Boston and Atlanta and is currently having radiation treatment.

“It’s incredible. He’s the bravest kid I’ve ever met. He’s handled it with poise and understanding but still, he charges forward at it and he’s ready to go,” said Adam Blick, Jonah’s father.

Jonah himself is remaining positive while keeping his spirits up thanks to the love, support and encouragement of his family, friends and all those doctors and nurses who care so much for him.

The teenager is not just courageous – he’s also very passionate about sports. He enjoys soccer and basketball and when it comes to college football, there’s only one team for Jonah – his beloved Florida Gators.

So just imagine his joy and elation when those nearest and dearest to him recently gathered to give him an epic send-off to the Sunshine State to see his favorite team in action at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

It was the surprise of a lifetime, and one made possible by the Atlanta-based nonprofit YES DAY.

“Our whole North Star, our whole guiding principle, is that we can’t always control what happens to someone. We can’t fix your diagnosis, but we can absolutely bring you joy into the middle of hard things,” says YES DAY founder Jodi Sonenshine.

Before leaving for Gainesville, Jonah told CNN Sports he had no idea his dream surprise was happening. Instead, he thought he was off to another medical appointment.

“It was crazy, it was very unexpected,” Jonah said.

“Watching all the games, (it’s) a very cool atmosphere. The atmosphere, it’s crazy,” he added while reflecting on what makes it so special to be a fan of the Florida Gators.

The trip itself was everything Jonah could have possibly dreamed of. Upon arrival at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, the star-struck teen was given a chance to tour the Gators’ locker room and meet the team including his favorite player, Florida quarterback Aaron Philo. Then came some VIP seats in a suite to witness the Gators’ victory against the Florida Atlantic University Owls.

“You know, he’s always the kindest kid in the class. The story about him was, you know, the first high school party he went to and a couple of (his) friends weren’t invited. He said, ‘I’m going to remind whoever that these people need to be invited because they’re not as outgoing or whatever.’ That’s his personality,” Adam Blick said.

“And for that to be repaid to him, in this type of kindness coming out, I mean, he’s kind and he’s brave. I can’t believe, it seems like only a few years ago he was afraid to be in the basement by himself and look at him now. It’s crazy,” he added.

“It’s been a lot, but we’re learning a lot, and he’s so strong, and, you know, not many people can say they birthed their own hero,” Randi Blick said.

“But we’re now part of a club we never wanted to be in.”

According to the American Cancer Society, just under 5,000 children and teenagers are diagnosed with a brain tumor each year in the United States. The Blick family say they’ve been strengthened and encouraged by an amazing show of support and love from a truly caring community, and they now want to share an important message when it comes to helping other parents who may be facing their own heartache over a child’s diagnosis.

“Jonah had his first seizure on August 8. From that, to go through two surgeries, to learning more about cancer than I ever wanted to know, we couldn’t do it without the people that were here today,” Adam said.

“Really find your community, find your support, find your people that are like this. The people at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta are amazing. The people at Boston’s Children Hospital are unbelievable. I mean, they’re the smartest people you’ll know, and the kindest people you know, and they’re all doing this out of the kindness of their heart,” he added.

Jonah is now continuing his radiation course before his medical team decides on his next stage of treatment.

For now, though, it’s one never-to-be-forgotten weekend in Florida that’s offered a moment of respite alongside his family and friends. Simply put, the people who mean the most to him in life.

“They’re very nice. They care a lot about me and they’re checking up on me all the time,” Jonah said.

“Just stay with your family, stay with your friends,” he said.

And as Sonenshine put it on the family’s online support page: “For now, we keep taking it one day at a time, finding the joy wherever we can and surrounding this family with as much love as humanly possible.”

If you want to help and support Jonah and his family, just head to the Ian’s Friends foundation, which funds research for pediatric brain tumors, and you can keep up to date with Jonah’s progress here.

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