'Cancer Warrior' Wished For Backyard Oasis, Firefighters Step In

BOLINGBROOK, IL — Four-year-old "cancer warrior" Lukas Voelz had one wish for the Make-A-Wish Foundation: to have a backyard oasis like the ones in the Animal Planet series "Insane Pools: Off the Deep End."

The foundation was only able to fulfill part of the wish by providing the Voelz family with a swimming pool in their backyard. So to top it off, firefighters from the Bolingbrook Fire Department that are part of the IAFF Local 3005 are building a deck for the family, completing the oasis.

"It's just so nice," said Nicole Voelz, Lukas's mom. "Lukas sits outside, and he was watching [the firefighters work] on Tuesday, and he was so excited. ... They work so hard and they're such good people, and they're great role models for all these kids around. They just have great hearts."

The Bolingbrook boy was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia on March 19, 2019, when he was just 21 months old. More than two years later, Nicole said Lukas is in long-term maintenance — treatment to keep the cancer from coming back — and has about another year to go.

"He's been doing fantastic," she said. "He's doing great. He's tolerating treatment, and he's a happy little kid running around, playing."

A fan of the Animal Planet series where award-winning pool designer Lucas Congdon "turns high and dry homes into exotic waterfront properties," Lukas wanted his own oasis at home. He wasn't interested in a trip to Disneyworld like his mom suggested, she said.

"Just for giggles," Nicole said she looked into how much it would cost to have the Florida-based crew come to Illinois. The job was expensive, so instead, Lukas asked Make-A-Wish for a "backyard oasis," complete with a pool, fence, waterfall and palm trees.

The pool was installed just in time for Lukas' birthday in May, and he and his older brother, Jakob, have been frequently using it ever since.

"[Lukas] loves to swim," she said of her son, who also loves to play with Hot Wheels cars and toy trains. "Every day he wakes up, he puts his bathing suit on and says, 'I'm ready to swim today.'"

With the pandemic, Nicole said Make-A-Wish wasn't able to provide a deck around the pool like they have in the past, so she turned to the community for help.

Local businesses donated the materials for the project, including lumber and landscaping. One company in Missouri even donated an 8-foot-tall artificial palm tree for the project.

"I just want people to know what a wonderful town we have," Nicole said. "Everybody is so kind and caring and giving, and there truly are so many good people in the world that want to do stuff for other people. We can always use a happy story."

After some coordination with village officials, local firefighters — a group of about 17 who Nicole said work "like a well-oiled machine" — gathered in their free time, starting Tuesday, to build the deck.

"What she really needed from us was a little odds and ends bought, [so we purchased some materials] and donated the actual physical help," said Kevin Bramwell, the president of Local 3005. "When we put out a call for help, we always get a lot of volunteers."

Firefighters with varying skill levels volunteered to help on their days off. Some of them do construction on the side, so they led the project, Bramwell said. The work didn't take the volunteers long, since "many hands do quick work."

"We strive to have a great relationship with the village, and we strive to help out in the community as much as we can," Bramwell said. "We always are trying to find ways to give back."

The deck will be finished soon, Nicole said, and to celebrate and show the firefighters her appreciation, she's hosting a lunch for them Friday.

The food will be provided by local restaurants that donated to the cause. Some people also sent Nicole money, which she said went toward purchasing desserts and silverware for the lunch.

"I wanted to give back to them because they're spending their time on their days off after they worked when they should be recuperating," she said. "We appreciate it more than they'll ever know."

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