Backbone Valley Nursery making 7-year-old’s Make-A-Wish come true

Antonio Laguna checks out the plants at Backbone Valley Nursery between Marble Falls and Granite Shoals. The family-owned nursery is helping Laguna's dream come true through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Laguna, who suffers from a rare disease, wants an orchard and a greenhouse for his wish. The nursery is providing fruit trees and other materials for the project. People can help by calling the nursery at (830) 693-9348. Courtesy photo
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
TOBEYVILLE — Antonio Laguna could have wished for anything — a trip to Disney World, tickets to the Super Bowl or a chance to ride in a race car. But when it came for his Make-A-Wish choice, the 7-year-old boy decided on something completely different.
“He wants an orchard and a greenhouse,” said Jessica Robertson of Backbone Valley Nursery. “And I want to make sure he gets them.”
Robertson and Backbone Valley Nursery have committed to making Antonio’s wish come true. And, she admitted, it’s not easy, considering it usually takes two to three years from planting for an orchard to produce fruit. Robertson wants to make sure Antonio, who suffers from ROHHADD syndrome, experiences the joys of picking fruit from his own trees as soon as possible.
Antonio calls his future orchard his “picking farm.”
“This is everything to him,” said Candace Laguna, Antonio’s mother. “He’ll be able to go out and pick fruit off the tree. It means so much to him.”
Robertson learned about Antonio, who is from the Killeen area, when he and his parents, Candace and Frank Laguna, stopped by Backbone Valley Nursery several weeks ago. Since then, she became aware of the youth’s story and the family’s plight.
“ROHHADD is an extremely rare disease,” Robertson said. “Only a few people in the world have it at one time.”
ROHHADD stands for Rapid-onset Obesity with Hypothalamic dysfunction, Hypoventilation and Autonomic Dysregulation. It affects about 75 people worldwide. As a disease that affects such a small number of people, ROHHADD is often referred to as an orphan disease, meaning very little money goes into researching the cause and treatments.
Antonio began showing symptoms of ROHHADD about 2½ years ago. He requires quite a bit of medical attention and monitoring, including regular doctor visits and a machine to help control his breathing when he sleeps.
There is no known cure for the disease; the only current prospect is to manage the symptoms. The disease impacts how the brain transmits instructions or messages to the body such as breathing functions and when to stop eating.
“He could eat an 800-calorie diet and still gain weight,” Candace Laguna said. “It’s like his brain tricks his body into how many calories he’s eating.”
So weight gain is a very big part of the disease. As a result, Antonio became aware of how important his diet is to his health.
“Eating healthy has become a necessity for him,” his mother said. “One of the ways we keep it interesting is trying new things. And that’s where having a garden and an orchard really comes in. It allows him to try different things.”
But it’s not just about trying things. His parents wondered why, of all things, Antonio chose an orchard and a greenhouse. They decided it might be one way he exerts some control over his disease.
“He’s very aware of his condition, and his diet and what he eats is something he can control,” Candace Laguna said. “It’s just his way of taking charge.”
Robertson and Backbone Valley Nursery want to help Antonio and his family build the picking farm and greenhouse.
“Our business is family owned and operated, and we are determined to help make this little boy’s wish come true,” Robertson said. “I have already acquired the fruit trees — larger specimens are almost impossible to find — labor and help with irrigation and water. We, as a company, are donating all the soil and plants for this cause as well as our time and labor to make this work.”
Though Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas funds the project, Robertson became concerned about the available amount because of the costs associated with greenhouses. She wants a greenhouse that maximizes the budget but includes a certain level of automation to save the family from having to constantly monitor it.
Antonio is one of four children, so the family doesn’t have a lot of free time as it is.
“So I’m looking for people or business who are interested in helping out in any way they can to make this little boy’s dream come true,” Robertson said. “When it’s all up and growing, he wants to set up a fruit stand. He’s such an amazing boy. He’s got a great sense of humor. I just want to do everything I can to help him.”
People interested in donating to or assisting with the project may call Robertson at (830) 693-9348. All donations are tax-deductible and will go toward the project. The nursery is located at 4201 FM 1980 off RR 1431 in Tobeyville, which is between Marble Falls and Granite Shoals.
General donations also may be made through the Make-A-Wish website at www.cstx.wish.org to help other children’s dreams come true.
The Make-A-Wish mission “grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.”
Go to www.facebook.com/SuperToniosFight to learn more about Antonio and his story.
daniel@thepicayune.com