One smile from Will and you hardly notice the tubes and wires. They're the only proof that he's fighting for his life.
"She told us he had AT/RT and how it was very serious and that there is no cure and really no treatment," said Tammy Hladun, Will's mother.
By the time Will was six months old, his life was defined by his strength, as he fought every day to live.
"He had five rounds of chemotherapy, two brain surgeries, two ports put in, abdominal surgery, his leg opened up," said Matt Hladun, Will's father.
Will's will to survive was contagious.
"Whether we were going to be fighting with him or in memory of him, we knew that this was a different path we were on now, and we were going to make the best of it. We call it our Will Power," said Matt.
But even after months of treatment, the cancer spread throughout Will's small body. On February 6th, just short of his seven month birthday, Will passed his life mission on to his family, to leave the world a little better.
"I can't believe it's almost a year since I last held him, smelled him and touched him, but that's truly what gets us out of bed every day. It's that Will Power. If he can do it so can we," said Tammy.
They continue to share Will's story, which they've been doing from the beginning, in the form of letters written by Matt to his son.
"We don't know where they got his story from, but in about 5 1/2 months of writing these letters we had almost 300,000 visitors to the site," he said.
Hundreds of those people, sharing how Will's life story changed their own.
"Words about being a better parents, a better citizen, a better person, the words I heard about living life differently and changing ways that's what you were able to accomplish in six short months," Matt read from his book.
Inspiration from their son has caused the Hladun's mission to grow, with the Brave Will Foundation.
"To help other families who are no longer fighting for the cure, when they realized as we did that, there isn't a cure and move to palliative care," said Tammy.
Their short term goal is to start an endowment at Albany Med, where they received so much help. They want to help create a formal pediatric palliative care program, with more social workers to help families, especially brothers and sisters who are left to cope. In the future-
"We'd love to have in all children's hospitals a Brave Will Room," said Tammy.
In a few short months, Will Hladun made a difference. The power that's inspiring his parents and thousands of others, found right in his name.
"I don't know if it happened for a reason, but I know that because of Will I'm absolutely going to change how we live our lives, how we help other families," said Tammy.
"You left the world a better place than you found it. I only hope in my long life I can accomplish a small fraction of what you did in your short life. I am so proud of you my little friend," Matt read from his book.
To raise money for the foundation, the Hladuns have put a book together of Matt's letters to Will. That book, t-shirts and wristbands are all on their website www.bravewill.org
On April 24th, they will host their first Brave Will Gala.
That will include Live Music by 2096 and Lustre Kings, dancing, a silent auction, casino games by Total Events and catering by Classé Catering.
All the proceeds will go right to Will's Foundation. More information, including how you can purchase tickets is on their website.
