Miracles4Milana

Hey, and joining me today on Weekend Focus, I have three special guests with me. First, a cohort of mine, Chris Doburn, I heart media here. Chris, how are you today? Good, how are you?

Hey, I'm doing pretty good. And we have two very pretty ladies, nice special ladies here, Melana, correct? Melana's 10 years old and her mom Maggie, correct? Correct.

I didn't say a last name because Chris has tried to coach me on this one. And some days I'll mess up my own name, and this is why Melana just nicknamed me Goober. So Chris, pronounce their last name for me. I hope I don't butcher here.

Is that a LaChanka? Yep. Is that a LaChanka, right? Yep.

OK, perfect. Well, I appreciate the three of you joining us. And I know Jordan Kramer with WTRF7 Sports. Hopefully she'll be able to join us.

But Chris, you and Jordan, before we get to her story, and this ties in, you decided to the Alden race that's coming up later this month, you are running in support of Melana. Tell us why. Absolutely. She's really changed my life in a lot of ways just through her strength.

And I mean, this looked as beautiful smile here. She's like a little angel. Oh, she really is. And we met around her birthday.

Actually, I think it was on her birthday back at the Mailers game when I was still working there and just got to know her and her family. And really learned what was going on. And just, man, just wanted to be able to help out. And it started with her fundraisers, with the t-shirts, and the bands that, of course, kids, because we're all there.

We have the one here today. We have the miracles from Melana, the Vellana's peeps. Melana's peeps, excuse me. And then the nail it down for Melana that the Nailers did in conjunction with them.

So we sold those at, I believe, two or three of the games this year. And so just really started to get to know them from there. And then met Jordan pretty much through these two. And that's when we decided, man, we should do something, just to bring awareness to this.

And that's when we decided to do the relay together. It's part of Team Mila. So we're going to be having some shirts made with a few of her favorite quotes on them. So we're going to have some of her favorite quotes.

You make your own sunshine? And what's the other one? Just keep smiling? Yeah.

Just keep smiling. And I know how to get her to talk. Tell me who your favorite hockey player is. My favorite hockey player is Brett Stern.

Why is he your favorite hockey player? Have you got to talk to him a lot? Have you got to, I hear he keeps in touch quite a bit, right? Yeah.

Kind of like a big brother? Yeah. Yeah. He's got his biggest fan, you're his biggest fan, aren't you?

Yeah. I knew I could get you to talk. And I want you to have another, you know, Paul's a goober. Can you get a wristband made up for that?

I told you to say, you know, I'm a goober, right? Yeah. You want to say it, Paul's a goober? Can I hear you say it?

Paul's a goober. There you go. That's what you and my little niece were about the same age. You're just a sweetheart.

And now Mom, Maggie, give us a little bit background. You know, your daughter, 10 years old. And you know, from what Chris has told me and things I read online, quite a story, quite a past. And just hard to believe though, what I've read and hurt is she's just beautiful angel.

She just lights up the room when she walks in. Thank you. She's amazing. She has been ill since she was born.

Okay. She's had numerous surgeries and tests and doctors visits and hospitalizations. She has a motility disorder similar to the little girl in the movie, Miracles from Heaven. Okay.

And she's actually seeing that doctor in Boston from that movie. Really? Yes. And he's come up with a plan to help her.

So she won't have to continue having surgeries. So that's kind of what we're raising money for, is to get her back and forth to Boston. Yeah, because that's, you know, that travel back and forth, you have to go on shore quite a bit, right? Yes.

We go one week, a month for the next year and then very frequently for the next four years. And if you don't mind me asking, I mean, just what kind of issues does that call? I've never heard of that. Of course, I've never quite heard of that before.

So her stomach basically, her stomach and intestines don't function normally. And the muscle at the bottom of her stomach or pylorus isn't functioning at all. So basically everything that she eats gets stuck and then she aspirates it into her lungs. She's in pain every day and you would never know because she just smiles all the time.

She's amazing. Oh my gosh, she lights up a room. Like I said, if you're not telling me that story, I would never know. Yeah.

Just you gotta be proud of her because I know I feel that strength that she lights up the room and that comes from it. I'm not trying to get emotional and I know I apologize. It's just, it's heartbreaking. But yeah, when I see her, I just want her here every day with me because if you're having a bad day, having her around, change that.

It absolutely does. It changes your whole outlook on life. So where do we go from here? If anybody, while Chris, you and Jordan are going to, like you said, you talked about the five K or the Albin race, don't know.

Have you been training a lot for that? Are you ready to go? Yeah. I've been training for that.

And it's been an exciting time. Unfortunately, this is probably the first time both of you guys are going to hear this. I unfortunately did tweak my hamstring a little bit. You did.

But I'm feeling okay enough to go. But like when Jordan and I talked, it's not about the time. It's about who we're running for. Absolutely.

And no matter how much pain I might be in during the race, I'm going to make sure that we finish and bring notoriety to a great person and a great cause here. Well, it sounds like you're getting a lot of treatments, good, and she's in good hands, a lot of good treatments. How can people out there listening help out? Because I apologize because I don't have the website with me.

If anybody wants to donate or help out, how can they do that to our expenses? She has a U-Caring page. I know it's gotten a lot of support so far and some money raised and that will go, obviously goes to help them get her back and forth there. I'm sure a lot of cost are out.

Yes, it is insanely costly to get her back and forth. The U-Caring page is U-Caring Milana's Miracle. Okay. U-Caring Milana's Miracle, correct?

I think it's U-Caring Backslash Milana's Miracle. Okay, perfect. And so when Milana, tell me, what are some things you'd like to do? Let us know a little bit about you.

We know who your favorite hockey player is. And I forgot his name. Tell me who his name is again. Brett Stern.

I knew she could set me straight on that one. What else do you like to do? We know you like you know, I'm a goober so we know who your favorite hockey player is. What else do you like to do?

I like voting stuff. Building stuff. I want to be like an engineer when I grow up. I want to do you.

Yeah. Wow. So do you like, what kind of things you like to build? You play with Legos?

You like to see I'm old school. I like Legos. So do I. Okay.

So see we have something in common there. But I like to build a lot of stuff with my brother. Okay. We build a computer once.

You build a computer. Yeah. And an airplane, a mini one. I was going to say okay, an airplane.

Maybe one day you build one and really fly in it. What do you think? Would that be cool? Yeah.

My other brother does it in the Navy. He does. Wow, you got to be proud of him. That's pretty cool.

Yeah. Well if you build an airplane, how about this? I'll get in and test it for you. Okay.

As long as I can wear a helmet, I might get some bruises when it crashes. But it'll stay a flood. It'll stay airborne. But you build an airplane and I'll test it for you.

How's that sound? Yep. You got to make sure it can hold some light because I'm not a light person. What do you think?

Yeah. You can put Goober on the side of it. Can we name it the Goober? Yes.

That worked out pretty good. Yeah. So what else do you like to do? I like to do gymnastics.

You do. I used to be on a team but not anymore because of my stomach. But you still do the best you can, right? Yeah.

Yeah. That's what we like to hear. Can you do one? Yeah.

Yeah. I did probably break in both ankles and hands and it'll be all bandaged up. So what's your favorite time of year? Well.

Do you have a favorite holiday? Do you have? My favorite holiday is Christmas. Christmas.

Why Christmas? Well it's close to my birthday. Wow. And my brother's birthday.

But then I like the presents. Yeah. So yeah. There's lots of presents.

Santa's busy. You get a lot of presents around. You get probably double dip in there. Aren't you getting double the presents?

Yeah. Or do you get cheated out of that? Yeah. That brings them pretty much it.

They don't get many separate things for their birthday. Does it work like that? No we get a lot of presents. There you go.

I want to be a kid again. There you go. So what else do you like to do? I know there's got to be a lot more to you.

Do you give your brother's a rough time brother and sister? You pick on him? Just my sister. What's her name?

Haley. Haley. Why just your sister? She's her older sister right?

Yeah but she's a teenager so teenagers are. They were just her birthday right? Yeah. Can you tell her happy birthday?

Oh happy birthday Haley. There you go. So she's the one you get into it with the most right? Yeah.

No. No. It's never your fault. It's always their fault right?

Yeah. See I was a kid. I know I look probably ancient but it wasn't too long ago I was a kid. I had two older sisters so we'll brother put them through it and it was always their fault.

So what else? What do you do to her? Um. Well.

Do you bother when she's with her friends? Yeah. You know. They're fun of her.

Do you try to just just embarrass her don't you? Yeah. Yeah that's what you're supposed to do right? Okay and Chris I'll let you give.

We got a website if people are if they want to go to to help out more for more information too. I'm sure it's all listed there. This is the www.ukaring.com slash Milana Zadolichenko slash 746-882 slash thank you. Perfect.

So we're again we're talking Milana and Maggie's here last name again. Zadolichenko. Zadolichenko. I'll get this right.

I promise Goober will get it right before this is over. And again today on Show Night Appreciate it. I appreciate it. I know Jordan she's running somewhat late here.

She's got some things she's taken care of but how did you come up? Well you explained a little bit. I probably didn't take much arm twist and especially once you see this sweet face here to run the Albin on her. I mean just anything I could do to help out.

You know like I said bring notoriety and I mean I just they become like a second family to me. Maggie Milana and getting to know her dad Stefan too. Getting to know them. I mean we probably we at least talk on a weekly basis if not you know sometimes daily and just getting to know them and their sweethearts and just how kind that they've been and you know they've been such a blessing in my life.

This is the least I could do. You know I'm always trying to think of ideas how we could help out and you know I just love them so much and it's just they become a second family to me. So I can see how she's just I could just sit here and look at her all day because I'm just I want you guys to come back and do more visits with me on the show because this one here I keep her around I'll tell my need an assistant here in the newsroom and that's being my assistant here. What do you think of that?

You do you? Yeah. Would you call me goober on here every day? Yes.

Goober. That's what that would be our deal you've got to. So mom you know if anybody's out there listening again what we gave websites out what would you say how can they get involved what things can they do to help out? Because I know we've got their we've got wristbands where can they get wristbands purchase?

You said t-shirts are they are they available yet? There will be another t-shirt. Okay. Sales it's through booster and most of it's on Facebook though.

Okay. People can follow us on Facebook. They just type in your name on my name yep. And everything's on there where they can follow Chris.

Chris can go left a friend. That's a Chris Thoburn on Facebook right? CHOBURN. Correct.

Look at that see at least I can spell if you ask me what five plus five is. Moana I'm not going to be able to tell you what is five plus five. Ten. There you go.

See you know what school I went to they didn't teach math very well. Some days it's not looking very good with English and I'm on the radio so that's pretty bad maybe you can teach me English math. What do you think? Sure.

How the pronounced names. She might go to some new radio board there you never know. Which ones what like thirty-seven years old? I think so.

Her being an engineer she'll know now. She could she could build me some new equipment here go ahead. Hey goober. Say that to Chinko three times fast.

That'll Chinko's that'll Chinko's that'll Chinko. I do okay I might not have been right on how I do. Good. We give me a B I don't think I got an A today did I?

He did. Did I get an A? Yeah. Alright so I let you grade me on the interview so I got an A right.

Okay well perfect and any final thoughts you guys as we start to wrap up here. Because I appreciate you come take a time out to come in and talk to us and I want to you know continue to I like to be able to follow along with what you know progress is being made and can't wait to hear of all the good things and positive things that are you have to come down the road and I want to see you build me a new radio board a computer and get that airplane with goober on a side. What do you think? Yeah.

Can you do that for me? Sure. Alrighty. Well Chris any final thoughts because I know you you like to be on a radio you're never lost for words and.

Yeah I mean like you guys can do to be able to support them. Like I said you could find me on Facebook. Chris Thurbert or also on Twitter at c3b3d87. Maggie's on there too.

Is it that mommy? That mommy. That mommy. That mommy.

CAT. That mommy I like it. I can say she needs to change it to super bomb. I like it but it is I mean it's just been a real pleasure and I know we're kind of looking over at computer here at each other but I can't tell you how wonderful and honored it is to get to meet both of you today and please if there's anything I can do here you guys have an open invitation here on the show anytime and I'm looking forward to my sidekick coming back.

I'm on as goober. Can I claim that? Yeah. I'm sure you call a lot of people goober but can I be the goober?

I don't call anybody goober. You don't call anybody just me? Yeah. Just me right?

Yeah. Can I be your goober? Yes. Okay that works out pretty well.

I thank you for stopping by today. You want to come back and see me or did I do a bad job? I'll come back and see you. You come back and see me.

Thank you goober. You're welcome. Maggie any final thoughts? I just want to thank you for having us and thank Chris and Jordan.

They've been so amazing to us. We appreciate everybody that's listening and everybody that's supporting Milana. Absolutely. We're all going to get behind Milana.

You've got a lot of fans out there and we're with you every step of the way and you know if you need anything we're here for you. Okay. And I believe we have our fourth guest Jordan Kramer correct? Come on in Jordan.

How are you? You want to jump on to Mike there and say hello we got to Chris to talk about what you guys are doing with the Ogden race coming up and it's very very nice to meet you. I know you were running some errands this morning. I was in charge of her.

I wasn't sure if she was coming down because she was feeling so well. So yeah I know we're really excited. I met Mila through the nailers I did a story on her and Brett and I mean she's super sweet. She's a little thing.

I love her whole family. Her mom and I text a lot. She got to see her family and kind of know more about their story and kind of what everything Mila has to go through. It hurts your heart a little bit.

It's just kind of raising awareness for what I think and running for good cause. Absolutely. I said she comes in the room. She lights up.

I want her in here with me at 3am when I get in here everyday because she just radiant. She really is. She's something special. She's like an angel.

She's a little angel here. She's in my nickname. Goober. She calls me goober.

I'm her goober. She said she only calls me goober. She calls no one else that. Why is it him?

Because he's a goober. Goober. Yeah. Goober.

So I went and you've been prepping for the Alton Rice to Chris. Does she know about your injury? Okay. We've been messaging a little bit back and forth.

I've ran three half marathons. Wow. So I don't know why I do it. I really don't.

But they're fun after you appreciate your body after. But I saw him post on Facebook that he wanted to run it for Mila and since I knew her family and kind of knew her story and got to know them I was like oh you know I would love to do that. So I quickly messaged back and I'm not the fastest runner. I can run about six, seven miles but I'm not a race winner by any means but I mean I really love their family so he said he wanted to do it for them and just kind of really wanted to do it for them.

I'm not a fast runner but if you dangle a donut out in front of me I bet I could run it fast. What do you think? I like food so that's what you know. It's not the sugar in front of me I'm there but no I wonder we're going to start making goober with goober on it.

Just for me. What do you think? Yeah. So any final thoughts?

I mean I appreciate you stopping in today. I know you're busy. You're on WTRF sports. It's an honor to get to meet.

I was a little nervous to actually get to meet everybody here. I'm in the presence of stars here. I want to get that for. She's the star.

She's the real star. You look on mine and we have her story up for anyone who wants to know more about it or see your story and see your person. One person, one person, one person, one person, one video. You can tell even in that story she doesn't have an impact she makes on everybody.

I know it's on my personal pages and things like that. I think it's really great. I know I have the link to help donate for her because I know you guys talked about Boston and all of that. She's several trips back and forth to Boston gets quite costly.

Can you give a link so people are out there listening how they can find out more information? I know we gave some other links but can I go to the station's website and find out more? Thank you. The station's website and I actually have it in my bio on my Instagram page too which is at J.C.A.M.

so if you go on that and the link is in the bio not private or anything you can see the link to her story. It's a really sweet story. I went and watched it. A lot of people told me they teared up and it's just a very sweet story overall.

I didn't want to get mom teared up earlier because I started to get. I looked at her face and it's just like I got to light up the room. It can't be sad right? That's the thing you've got to remember too when you're running is maybe we might be in a little bit of a hill but I know whenever I've been doing my runs I just think of her which she pushes me to keep going.

That strength that comes from her. Actually all of our hero. Tell us again who's your favorite hockey player? Right Stern.

She just lights up when I ask that. That's what Chris told me before he was talking to asking her favorite hockey player. But again guys I appreciate you stopping by the show today and please keep in touch and all four of you come back and be a guest anytime. I appreciate it.

Thank you. Thank you Goober. You're welcome. We'll talk to you soon.