Other than a BB gun, 12-year-old John Gegen had never fired a rifle of any kind. That is, until he went on a recent elk hunt to Colorado where he shot and dropped a nice bull.
That adventure happened thanks to Carson Wentz, quarterback of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and his AO1 Foundation, an organization that sponsors outdoor adventures for youth.
Gegen underwent three years of surgeries and other medical procedures after being diagnosed at the age of 5 with stage IV neuroblastoma, a cancer that spread to many parts of his body.
“He’s a tough kid,” Shelly Gegen, John’s mother, told the Star Tribune. “The first year of his treatment sometimes required 20 days in the hospital at a time. He only got upset when he learned he would lose his hair, and when he was surprised by unexpected hospital stays. Otherwise he amazed us every day. Through it all, it’s the kindness and generosity of other people we’ll remember most.”
Go here to read more about John’s hunt.