TURBEVILLE, SC (WBTW) – Minutes after the sunset above East Clarendon High School, 10 year-old Bj Wilkes experienced the moment of lifetime.
“We’re just trying to make him as happy and comfortable right now,” said Bj’s mother Haley Wilkes.
Brian and Haley Wilkes son Bj was born with a congenital heart defect.
The condition causes skin discoloration, rapid breathing and shortness of breath.
“We deal with it like he does,” mentioned Wilkes.
Wilkes says Bj underwent four open heart surgeries. She says the last two surgeries were within forty eight hours a part.
“The third and fourth surgeries were in 2010. They had to go back in and correct his heart back to the way it was before when they did the third surgery,” Wilkes added.
Before Bj takes his last breath, at the top of his bucket list is to go to prom.
“All I know is that I am going to break it down,” said Bj Wilkes.
“We’re happy that he gets to have the experience. We’re sad that he is getting to have the experience at ten years old,” said Wilkes.
The ten year-old full of joy loves Elvis Presley so much that he knows all of the words to his songs
“You ain’t nothing but a hound dog,” said Bj.
And the moves too so when someone in the crowd gave him a boost, the youngster stole the show.
Bj’s parents are now dealing with a sense of acceptance. They have come to understand life is never easy for those who dream.
“If Bj can deal with it with a smile on his face and be happy everyday then we can deal with it the same way,” said his mother.
Bj’s parents say prom is now only one of the things that their son has marked off his bucket list.
His mother says he got free tickets to go see his favorite team play, the South Carolina Gamecocks.
