Our B+ Hero Nicholas

Jonathan Kaplan/ May 27, 2015/ Alpha Nu/ 0 comments

Each semester, Alpha Nu brothers come together and try to figure out how we are going to expand our philanthropy efforts and do more for the people around us. Within the last year or so we have developed a relationship with the B+ Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising support and awareness for children battling leukemia and their families. Fortunately, we were able to become a part of the B+ Foundation’s Heroes Program this spring 2015 semester by being paired with Nicholas, an eight year old with leukemia. The Heroes Program provides Alpha Nu with a chance to give both support and care to Nicholas and his family, while also learning in the process.

Meet our hero, Nicholas. He is seven years old and absolutely loves cars, especially monster trucks. When he’s not playing with monster trucks, he loves playing baseball and eating his favorite food, jalapeno cheddar poppers. Laughing is his favorite hobby, and our favorite activity to partake in it with him. Although Nicholas has relapsed leukemia, you’d never be able to tell. He has a fire inside that each brother in Alpha Nu is lucky to have the chance to learn from. His maturity far outreaches his age while his determination far outreaches any of ours. As he waits for treatment from one of his nurses, he slowly and quietly winds back a toy cockroach, only to release it at the perfect moment and make her scream so loud other nurses rush in. She then bursts into laughter, turning to tell us this is a regular occurrence with him. Simply put, Nicholas has the ability to make an incredible impact on each and every person he meets.

From week to week, a small group of brothers visits Nicholas as he gets treatments or is in the hospital. We will also host larger events, like barbeques, for him periodically. As coordinator of the program, I can tell you each and every time you see Nicholas’ bubbly face, your love for him will grow stronger. Words cannot truly illustrate how quickly Nicholas has impacted our lives, giving us a world of perspective.

Although the goal of the B+ Heroes Program is to provide an outlet for a child and their family, the impact Nicholas has left on myself and Alpha Nu, as a whole, is already far more than I could have ever imagined.

–    Evan Amann, Alpha Nu 2016

To learn more about the B+ Foundation and the B+ Heroes Program, visit their website at bepositive.org.

Tribune’s Note: This article was published in our semesterly alumni magazine The Longhorn Sig, the spring 2015 issue of which was recently published and mailed to alumni. If you are an Alpha Nu alumnus and would like to receive The Sig, please fill out this form.

Ben Norton, Evan Amann, Ricky Martinez, Alex Dieste, and Tim Davis pictured with B+ Hero Nicholas Ben Norton, Evan Amann, Ricky Martinez, Alex Dieste, and Tim Davis pictured with B+ Hero Nicholas

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