Make-A-Wish and Alabama Power take an Alabama teen and family to the mountaintop
Lane Clark is told at a celebration that he and his family are heading to Gatlinburg. (Make-A-Wish Alabama)
After more than two years of battling leukemia, Lane Clark has received his fondest wish: to spend time in the mountains with his family, with no doctors or needles in sight.
The Miller Chapter of the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) and Make-A-Wish Alabama partnered to turn Lane’s dream into reality when they sent the 16-year-old and his family to their favorite spot, Gatlinburg, Tenn., on Feb. 2-7. Make-A-Wish Alabama joins hands with businesses and volunteers to grant wishes for children who are suffering from life-threatening medical conditions.
Lane was diagnosed with T-cell leukemia in 2013. He is now cancer-free but is still undergoing aggressive chemotherapy treatments.
“We go to Gatlinburg every June,” said the Walker High School 10th-grader. “I picked Gatlinburg because I wanted to see it in the wintertime. We usually walk around downtown Gatlinburg every time we go, and it’s so beautiful.”
The experience of a lifetime actually began nearly a week before the family’s trip at a special “reveal” party at Plant Miller. When his parents, David and Sherry, suggested taking the family for a tour of the plant on Jan. 28, Lane thought they wanted him to see where his “Pawpaw” had worked. Sherry’s dad, Kenneth Jinright, worked at Miller as a general foreman before his death more than 17 years ago.
“When we found out that Miller was paying for the trip, it all fit together because Sherry’s dad had worked there,” said David.
During the family’s visit, the tour guide, Plant Control Operator Tiffany Yerby, suggested they drop in on a “safety briefing” underway in the plant auditorium. At that point, Lane had no idea the “meeting” was a cover story to get him to the party, said Sherry. It was not until he spotted the balloons, ribbons and the “Team Lane” posters that he realized he was the guest of honor.
The Miller chapter and the plant provided the family with an “unforgettable” experience. For six days, Lane, along with his parents, sister, Lindsey, 22, and brother, Luke, 10, lived in the lap of luxury in a four-bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home with an indoor heated pool, theater, hot tub, game room and expansive deck with gorgeous views of the Smokey Mountains.
The family was also provided a rental car, along with tickets to local Ripley’s attractions, including the aquarium, Believe It or Not museum, Mini Golf, Guinness Book of World Records museum, Mirror Maze and Haunted Adventure. Miller APSO gave each family member a red “Team Lane” T-shirt as a keepsake of their trip.
“When businesses like Alabama Power and Miller Steam Plant say they want to help a wish child, it’s so amazing,” said Pam Jones, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish Alabama. “It makes the experience fuller for these children because it lets them know that someone cares about whether they are getting their wish. After children’s lives have been ripped apart by illness and hospital stays, the wishes give them and their families a chance to bond.”
Jamie Driver said Miller APSO members are especially thrilled to have the chance to grant the wish of a local Walker County teen like Lane.
“Some people may say that we’re only helping one child,” said Driver, Plant Miller employee development coordinator. “But that whole family has been affected, not just one kid. At the end of the day, there is no dollar amount you can put on what that family has faced for more than two years. It means so much to make a difference in their lives by giving them a trip they may never have gotten to take without APSO’s help.”
Lane said the trip was fun. Highlights included racing go-carts, visiting the aquarium and riding the Alpine Coaster in Pigeon Forge.
“My favorite thing was watching movies and playing games on the Xbox in the big theater room in the cabin,” he said. “It was just great to spend time with my family.”
Lane’s battle to overcome cancer began in September 2013, when he came home from school with puffy eyes. Thinking he had a sinus infection, his parents took him to a nearby clinic. Despite several rounds of antibiotics and steroids, Lane’s symptoms grew worse with a fever, causing David and Sherry to take him to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham on Oct. 8.
Early testing revealed a shadow around Lane’s heart. The next day, Lane underwent a lumbar puncture to check his bone marrow, which revealed that he had T-cell leukemia. There were two masses in Lane’s shoulder, two in his heart and one in his lower abdomen.
“Getting that diagnosis just stops your world right there. You hear about people having cancer, but you think, ‘Not us,’” said David. “Lane was scared and wanted to know, ‘Am I going to die?’ We told him we didn’t believe that was God’s plan.”
On Oct. 10, his 14th birthday, Lane received his first chemotherapy treatment. That night, with the hospital’s consent, David and Sherry threw a “surprise” birthday party for their son in the lobby. More than 100 friends and family were on hand to celebrate and show their support.
Lane underwent four intensive chemotherapy treatments during his first eight-day stay in the hospital. He then received regular intravenous chemo treatments at the hospital and daily shots at home during the next several months.
Lane was declared cancer-free in February 2014, but he still faced an uphill climb. He will continue to take 21 pills daily and receive monthly chemo treatments until February 2017 to ensure his body remains healthy and free of the disease.
Lane’s life is finally getting back on track, said his Dad. He returned to Walker High this fall after two years of home-schooling.
Lane played football, basketball and baseball before his diagnosis and is once again on the field. In January, he began baseball practice and will play on the Walker High team this spring.
“I feel so blessed,” Lane said. “I’m happy to be back to normal. It’s great to feel better and finally get back to seeing my friends at school and my family.”
Lane said when his blood count dropped, he was often not allowed to see his family because he was more susceptible to other people’s illnesses.
David, who is the Jasper fire chief, said he is grateful to the many people who helped the Clark family get through the tough times.
“We’re a strong faith family, and this has made us stronger,” he said. “God has put so many people in our lives to help us through it. It has made our family closer and stronger.”
Lane and his dad both expressed their gratitude to APSO for making the trip possible for their family.
“We thank Miller Steam Plant for even considering doing this for us,” said David. “We could never have afforded this trip. It has shown us there are so many people who care.”
For more information about Make-a-Wish Alabama, visit Alabama.wish.org or call 205-254-WISH (254-9474).
