“Zach has taught me how to love deeper and to have patience with others,” Variety Adventure Camp counselor Mike Boyle said. “He makes me more humble in what I do, and I’m thankful for the friendship that we’ve built.”
Mike met Zach at Adventure Camp in 2007 when they were in the same group. They had fun together, and Zach enjoyed Mike’s energy and creativity in the camp activities.
About a month after camp was over, Zach remembered Mike’s birthday and surprised him with a phone call. Since that day, their phone conversations have become more frequent, and they have visited each other numerous times.
Zach said, “Mike is like a brother to me; he has taught me how to be gentle and kind. Also, when we wrestle and he says to stop, then I have to stop.”
Zach was born with Neurofibromatosis type 1, a genetic disease that affects every person differently. For Zach, it has caused some learning and speech delays and produced many tumors throughout his body. Fortunately, several of his tumors have miraculously disappeared or became significantly smaller. However, now at the age of 13, Zach is at a higher risk for the growth and spreading of tumors, due to the many changes of his body during this age.
With love and support from his family, Zach is developing into an ambitious young man with many life goals. Now, he also has the positive influence of Mike, thanks to Variety Adventure Camp.
According to Zach’s mom, Christina Bergmann, Mike has provided motivation for Zach even when he’s not around, especially when it comes to exercise and eating healthy. She said, “Mike’s influence on Zach has only been for the positive. Just the security of knowing that he has that big brother out there is so comforting.”
Mike initially went to Adventure Camp for a simple summer job, but what he learned during the three weeks of camp was much more than just making some extra money. He saw first hand the importance of empowering Variety children with a positive attitude and a sense of freedom. Since camp, Mike has become an active volunteer for many Variety events and looks forward to Adventure Camp every summer. Outside of Variety, Mike is a personal trainer for the Jewish Community Center in Chesterfield, Missouri. He obtained a sports management degree from Lindenwood University in 2007. His passion for helping people is evident in his work, volunteer and everyday life.
The friendship between Mike and Zach is sure to last forever, and only has one barrier – distance. Zach will often say, “I wish we could be neighbors so we could see each other all the time.” The three weeks at Adventure Camp give Mike and Zach the opportunity to participate in fun activities, at no cost, in a safe environment. This year, Mike invited Zach to stay the night with him so they could carpool to camp. Adventure Camp makes the distance bearable and allows them to spend more time together while making new friends.
The companionship that has developed between Mike and Zach is not uncommon at Variety Adventure Camp. It’s a fun, learning experience for everyone, and the friendships that are made add to the excitement of the activities. If you know a child who you think would excel at Variety camp, please contact Barb Kramer at 314-453-0453 x115, or barb@varietystl.org.