A boy from Norridge whose battling cancer received a sweet surprise of so-called Jurassic proportions Tuesday.
Dinosaur-loving Peter Rapatas has been battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma since May and on Tuesday, he received a surprise from a Jurassic World Live Tour performer, as well as from the company known as Special Spaces Illinois, who create dream bedrooms for kids with life-threatening conditions.
“We have all kinds of new stuff for him, room for friends to come sit, got a bigger desk,” said the Special Spaces Illinois Associate Director Christy Gallagher.
“Peter is the strongest one of all of us,” said the boy’s father, Gus Rapatas. “He didn’t want anyone to cry.”
“It’s really nice to come in and give this family a good day, a day when they’re not thinking about cancer, not thinking about treatments, not thinking about doctors’ appointments,” Gallagher said.
With a dinosaur design theme, the producer of the Jurassic World Live Tour coming to Rosemont next month was quick to help.
“Hearing about his story, this is really awe-inspiring,” said Ray Castro, a Jurassic World Live Tour performer.
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It took about seven hours of painting and arranging for the reveal that left the 10-year-old boy speechless.
Though the best news of all, was finding out he’s in remission.
“We still have a little bit of a journey but we’re in a good place,” said Rapatas.
