When I saw photos of little 7-year-old Jonah Pournazarian next to his best friend, 6-year-old Dylan Siegel, I couldn' t help but feel a wave of emotion. That's because even at such a young age, both boys give us an incredible lesson about the true meaning of friendship. With an amazing, positive attitude, Jonah and Dylan have managed to overcome what many adults might find difficult: a strange incurable disease.
A recent report from ABC News tells the story of the two boys: Jonah was diagnosed as a baby with glycogen storage disease type 1B, a very rare liver disorder that, sadly, has no cure. But he has a guardian angel in his friend Dylan who didn't give up hope about his friend's condition and decided to raise funds to help him and for research into this strange disease.
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The most surprising part of this heartwarming story is that when Dylan's parents told him he might want to try selling lemonade, the intrepid 7-year-old responded with a bigger, better vision: "I want to write a book," he told them.
Perhaps, at that moment, his parents couldn't have imagined that the book, titled Chocolate Bar and written by hand, would raise in less than two months of going on sale, more than $30,000–and that amount continues to grow, says David Siegel, Dylan's proud dad. After this huge success, Dylan has sets his goal much higher and is aiming to collect $1 million dollar for research so that scientists can one day find a cure for his friend's Jonah's terrible disease.
Jonah's dad tells ABC News that his son's genetic condition affects one in a million children. His diet is even tougher, as his dad reveals that sometimes all Jonah eats is cornstarch mixed with chicken soup and vegetables, and has to be fed through a tube.
Although, sadly, there currently isn't anything that can be done to improve Jonah's quality of life, it's really quite inspiring to hear that thanks to his best friend, there is still hope left for him.
I hope scientists are able to find a cure or a treatment for this disease–and I hope with all my heart that kids like Jonah and Dylan treasure the gift of their friendship forever. These noble acts of kindness can overcome even the hardest obstacles. And what better way to show this than with the amazing story of these two best friends, who are true examples that with love, everything is possible!
Watch the video of Dylan and Jonah's moving story here:
Embedded content: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkbbwBr7Bfc
Image via YouTube
