[trick]

From the Vancouver Paintball Forum, this post was made under the kid's forum account:

I am posting this on behalf of my son whom you see coming to visit this great site as fruit_loops. My son is 13 years old and very sick. He wants to play paintball but his disease wouldn't allow him. His friends play paintball while he is left at home in the mercy of pain.

Ever since he registered with this great site, no day would pass without him checking what's new with paintball in Canada. He reads them, both of us actually, and finds fun in reading them. He loves clicking on the flags to change provincial locations. He boasts of being able to know what's happening in paintball in different provinces just by clicking the flags. He loves looking at your markers tirelessly in the showcase.

2 nights ago, he checked the Live Chat feature but I remember him saying nobody was online. Then suddenly "Welcome" was sounded from his speakers. It was the Support Crew. Then they started chatting. The guy from the other end asked him how he was doing and my little man answered, "I have a headache". I remember the guy asking him questions about how frequent his headache occurs, what type of pain, what his age was and whether he has seizures. My son answered them truthfully. Then, the guy asked him if he was taking medicines and if he is, what medicines were they. My son listed his medicines then suddenly the guy said ... "You must be very sick buddy. Are you on chemo?" I started to wonder, how come a computer guy can be conversant in the medical field, too. Their conversation became so interesting until the guy said: "Correct me if I'm wrong and you may not answer my question if you wish. Did your doctor tell you that your seizures is caused by meningioma?" That totally stopped my heart and my suspicion that he might be a medical professional was proven right. A computer guy knows medical diagnosis just by interviewing? I thought, only kids use this site.

The guy asked my son if he can ask permission from me to phone him. Thinking why not, I gave our number. We had a chat and he was such a nice guy. Changing topics, he asked what presents he received for Christmas. Then asked my son what he wanted that he didn't get. He replied: "xbox. My nintendo is too old". The guy casually said, you'll have it pretty soon, don't worry. My 13-year old kid replied: I will work for it when I get well.

About 1 'o clock this afternoon, a lady knocked on our door with a big gift nicely wrapped. I asked where it came from and she answered me: open the box when I leave. At the sight of the big present, my poor son whispered: "this is the biggest present I have ever received". The lady introduced herself as "Stacey". According to her, they got our address from our phone number then left while we were still at the door.

When we opened the present, it's an XBOX! I found myself lost in tears while my son was so amused. I thought it was from a relative. It came complete with everything he needs: a wireless router, a wireless xbox adapter, 2 wireless controllers, 2 headsets, a prepaid xbox Live subscription for 1 year and 10 DVD games. More tears flowed from my eyes, I will never afford to buy my son these stuff. A card was enclosed: "This must be your missing gift. I hope this takes some of your pain away. It's all wireless so you won't bother getting up just to play. A technician will come by your place and hook you up with high-speed internet and make sure that you will be playing your xbox before the day ends. Tell your mom not to worry about anything. I already created your Gamer Tag and I will play online against you soon. Be sure to beat me. Get well buddy. Be strong. I'll always remember you. Pdx.Sierra (xtremepaintballcanada.com)". He was the guy my son had a chat with and must be one of the Support Crew.

About 3 'o clock, the technician came and brought with him a high-speed modem and hooked my little man's xbox and fixed our computer. With just a phone call the technician made, we got upgraded from dial-up to broadband prepaid for one year. He played a game with him before he left. He requested to keep the identities of everyone involved.

I'm in tears. I definitely am. We will never forget your kindness, sir. Please call us back. Thank you thank you. May the Lord help you and keep you safe always.

To you all who participate in this site, thank you. You all help ease the pain and hardships my son is suffering day in and day out. Thank you. Happy holidays everyone.

Turns out the guy is really well-known in the medical world and has also arranged for him to see top-notch doctors and to get the best health care possible. Later in the thread, the sickly 13 year old himself made the following post:

2 mornings now, I dint have headache. I dint have seizures too. OMG I have more than 1 thousend emails. how will I ever read em yesturday night I was visited by 4 doctors and that makes it 5 who visited me at home tho it was snowin. OMG I dint have to go to the hospital. they made me feel so speical. I dint have to wait for apoinmen. the doctors all said that sierra is their friend. OMG sierra you r0ck. I will see sierra on tv on monday. before I went to bed I prayed "please god cure me because I want to meet a lot of ppl. they want me to play paintball but I'm sick. I want to go back to school again if I'm stronger" I hope he listened just to let him know again

thank you everyone

Words can't really do it any justice.

Then this from the forums' front page:

For 10 days, his charisma filled the world and temporarily united all people from all nations. Not the use of any word will ever describe the immensity of his bravery. Known only as fruit_loops, the unknown soldier of the internet yet in real life he existed, he is our new icon of hope.

With these words, I regret to inform you that we lost our little fighter at 1117H (Pacific Time) today, the 5th of January 2004. His recovery was cut short by the worst seizure he ever had that lasted more than 40 minutes despite emergency medical interventions. He is now resting in peace and rest assured, he will struggle no more from pain.

Please accept our gratitude for all your time, your love and your prayers. xtremepaintballcanada.com will always be proud to have been selected by an unknown force to beam to the world the last 10-days of the life of our little fighter or our little man or our wee man as we all have been endeared to the existence of such terms

May God bless his little soul.

[Red_Bandit]

poor guy, bless his soul.


but just a reminder to everyone else, be VERY careful with who you give your phonenumber and personal information to. Even though Dr. Sierra was being incredibly kind, not all internet people are like that.

[trick]

Originally posted by Red_Bandit!
but just a reminder to everyone else, be VERY careful with who you give your phonenumber and personal information to. Even though Dr. Sierra was being incredibly kind, not all internet people are like that.

:werd:, though a touching story, lending out personal information on the net can be dangerous

[Mattsanity]

I wish that I would live 'till the age that I can see my grand kids That's how precious life is to me

[trick]

here's a post he made on jan 4:

hey yall. I feel so importent. I am usin a computer with a gient screen on the wall and guys I read all your posts. wow I thank you all. I am in a room with 3 lady doctors and a guy doctor and we are all readin your msgs. they tell me lots of funny stories. momma has colds and my doctor says she cant come in my room yet. I just wave my hands. I dont kno what hapend but I must been sick. im alryt I guess but mommas eyes look like was cryin. I have 8 thousend emails and more comin awww how can I read em all. I talked to my freind sierra on the video screen and I seen how he looks like. I looked him straight and I cant say a word. my momma was just lookin at the screen and she started cryin again. I feel like cryin but I dont have tears anymore. I gotta drink more fruit juice I guess. guys you make me tough guy. please god let me live. I am ashamed to die because I have lots of freinds. sierra is not the same color as my skin. I asked him if he is canadien or american and he said neither but said I shouldnt care. I don't believe him but the doctors said his not. what a nice fella who helped me altho we're diffrent. he asked me what I wanted and I said I jus wanna hug him. he said he will fly to visit me as long as I keep up the fight. I asked him wat if I lose the fight and he said he will make me pay for everythin and no exepshun. I asked him where he gets his money to pay for everythin and he said he doesnt have the money but he has lotsof freinds. I said I shouldof nown him earlier so all of you guys should not have been bothered and he said nobody has control. he asked me what I would ask if I meet god. I will ask him why did he give me cancer. I asked if god was true and he said it depends on me. I dont know if I am mad at god for makin me sick but I hope he hears my prayers. it was a quick chat and before he went away I asked him his name and he said sierra thats how he wants me to kno him. he said I shouldof think of the ppl from the world who goes to my fave website to wish me get well not him. I told him to keep me as his friend and he said he will forever. he was so cool. he makes me think. nobody else calls him sierra exep for me and my momma and stacey and the techs. everybody else calls him sir. at one time I called him sir sierra and he said he didn't appreciate it so I called him mister sierra and he laughed. he speaks very good english. okay guys I will read your msgs and I will msg you again if I think of sumthin kinda like a story to tell ya. later.

[TMOD]

I read that story before he lost his battle with cancer, this is depressing.

[trick]

Originally posted by TMOD!
I read that story before he lost his battle with cancer, this is depressing.

sorry if this was depressing, but i hope you can also take in the fact that there are people as good as 'sierra' out there in the world today full of catastrophe.

[jayisthebest88]

i dont wanna break the mood or anything...but is there any chance this could all be fake?like some other hoaxes on the net...

[trick]

Originally posted by jayisthebest88!
i dont wanna break the mood or anything...but is there any chance this could all be fake?like some other hoaxes on the net...

for those who thnk this is a hoax or urban legend (even though it happened recently), here's a link:
http://xtremepaintballcanada.com/van...ums/index.php?

you have to register in order to view, but due to the many responses, they've closed e-mail notification so it may take while for you to register