The Race of a Lifetime -- A Child's Dream Comes True in Austin

Wishes do come true. Just ask five-year-old Sam Buck of Greenwich.

The Glenville School kindergartener and his family have been enjoying the trip of a lifetime — fulfilling Sam’s wish — attending the Formula 1 American Grand Prix in Austin, TX. And judging from their Facebook posts, the rain from Hurricane Patricia hasn’t dampened their spirits or the fun they’re having meeting their racing idols. 

Sam and his family — sister Imogen, brother Jamie, and parents Alyson and Nick — were granted the trip through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Sam suffers from Vanishing White Matter Disease (VWM) or leukodystrophy, an extremely rare and fatal disease that affects the myelin layer around the brain.

“The layer doesn’t repair or regenerate itself,” according to Nick Buck. “Cognitively, he is OK but he will lose his motor skills. There are less than 250 people in the world who have been diagnosed with it.” The disease affects the transmission of messages from the brain to the body. Sam was diagnosed at age 2½ after he fell, hit his head and then was unable to walk, Nick said. There isn’t a cure and those diagnosed with VWM may survive five to 10 years, according to Nick.

A Day for Making Memories

Make-A-Wish personnel worked with the family and Glenville School Principal Mark DeVico to create a day that DeVico described as “for making memories. This is a very special day.”

Nick said he and his children are “huge” Formula 1 racing fans and never miss an opportunity to watch the races on television. It was Sam’s wish to be able to watch a Formula 1 race in person.

That’s where Make-A-Wish stepped in. They arranged for the family to attend the race week and meet some of their idols including Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel and British driver Lewis Hamilton.

So Sam’s school day on Oct. 16 didn’t begin with his usual ride to school. Sam’s crib was a 1994 Ferrari 348 Spyder driven by Tony Chimblo of Greenwich. “It was his first ride in a Ferrari and all he said was, “go faster,” Chimblo said.   

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Sam’s 17 kindergarten classmates, wearing red shirts or sweaters and waving red pom-poms, chanted, “Go Sam go!” as the Greenwich Police motorcycle unit arrived with lights flashing, sirens blaring, escorted Sam and his siblings who were riding in two other Ferraris loaned by Miller Motorcars of Greenwich.

School personnel arranged for a live stream television feed to the gymnasium where the rest of the school watched and waited. It was a sea of red — everyone wearing something red, Sam’s favorite color. The students and staff erupted into a cacophony of screams, clapping and chanting of ‘Go Sam go’ as he and his family entered.

It was there that the Formula 1 trip was announced to Sam who was decked out in a Ferrari red racing suit.

“This town meeting is an opportunity to get together as a community of learners to support one another,” DeVico told the 458 students. “We all know that we must be caring, compassionate and the best we can be every single day. I may be the principal but Sam teaches me to be the best I can possibly be and to enjoy every single day.”

First Selectman Peter Tesei proclaimed Oct. 16 as Sam Buck Day in Greenwich and presented the youngster with the proclamation. School Superintendent William McKersie said he admired not only Sam’s ever-present smile but his strength and perserverance as well. To signify his strength, McKersie gave him a stone from Cape Cod.

After showing a short video of his teachers, family and friends, and some scenes of Formula 1 racing, DeVico announced that Sam was in charge for the remainder of the day and that his class would be treated to his favorite lunch … chicken nuggets from Greenwich’s Chicken Joe’s.

Since the family arrived in Austin on Wednesday, they’ve had the opportunity to meet with their idols Vettel and Hamilton, who autographed Sam’s racing helmet, as well as three-time Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda of Austria, and visit the Ferrari racing pit.

Nick Buck said he family is “so grateful for everything” that has been done for his family.

You can follow the rest of Sam’s trip on his Facebook page Sam vs VWM.

Photos: Sam Buck and his family; Sam with Glenville School Principal Mark DeVico, school Superintendent William McKersie and First Selectman Peter Tesei; Sam’s classmates and his arrival at school on Oct. 16. Credits: Barbara Heins. Photos of Sam in Austin via Facebook.