Jonathan Oakland (left) stands by his new friend, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, as his Make-A-Wish desire was granted, and he was able to attend a race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. Oakland was diagnosed at the age of 4 with Chiari malformation, a structural defect in the cerebellum. (submitted photo)
Zakary Kriener
News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com
For 8-year-old Jonathan Oakland of Elgin, it’s no secret who his favorite NASCAR driver is. The young racing fan wears his No. 18 Kyle Busch racing gear at home, to school, and everywhere in between. Recently, however, Oakland got an opportunity to not just support his favorite driver at the racetrack, but to actually meet one of the top drivers in the NASCAR circuit, thanks to the Make-A-Wish program.
“Jonathan was diagnosed with Chiari malformation at the age of 4,” explained Jonathan’s mother, Niki Oakland. “It is a condition in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal and occurs when part of the skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing in the brain and forcing it downward.”
Prior to Jonathan’s two brain surgeries, for which he had to travel to New York City in 2015, Jonathan experienced chronic neck pain, weakness, and headaches.
“Since having his surgeries, Jonathan has been doing amazing!” continued Niki. “In fact, after his first surgery, Jonathan was able to watch Kyle (Busch) win the championship from his hospital bed.”
Earlier this year, Jonathan’s specialist, Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield from the Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center in New York, helped get Jonathan’s Make-A-Wish experience started.
“I had a few wishes that I had to decide between,” said Jonathan. “It was between meeting Kyle Busch, going to a (Chicago) Blackhawks game, and going to Disney World.”
In the end, Jonathan’s love for the sport of auto racing prevailed.
On Thursday, Nov. 16, Jonathan and his family, including Mom, Dad (Kevin), and siblings Kylie, Lexi, and Aubrey, flew to Miami to experience Jonathan’s wish as a family.
“On Friday, we were able to go to the beach together before heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway to check out the track that would be the final race on the 2017 NASCAR schedule,” said Niki. “We met with a track worker who gave us our VIP passes and brought us to the personal RV of Kyle’s crew chief, Adam Stevens.”
Jonathan got to meet all of Kyle’s crew members and hang out with the individuals who get Busch’s car ready to race on a weekly basis throughout the season.
While in the RV, Jonathan’s racing idol stepped in and met his No. 1 fan for the first time.
