More than 100 kids living with medical conditions travel to the North Pole

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Boeing 757 plane at the Kansas City International Airport Saturday was packed with kids, parents, and volunteers giving them a magical holiday season moment as they traveled to the North Pole.

The plane did not take to the skies this year but they were able to ride around the airfield for more than 30 minutes as the anticipation to land in the North Pole and meet Santa Claus grew by the second.

Since 1997, The Shadow Buddies Foundation has partnered with an airline, organizations, and agencies to ensure each child has a safe trip to their destination. It started with the help of NFL Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez and has now grown into more than 130 kids and their families packed into KCI.

Shadow Buddies Foundation Founder and Executive Director Marty Postlethwait is a mother to a child born with multiple congenital birth defects, knowing firsthand the battles, tribulations, and stress families are feeling all year long.

“It’s just an amazing thing we get to do that even this afternoon we can take the stress off their plates,” she said. “These families are so grateful and are full of gratitude just because we can offer them the opportunity. Some of them have driven an hour to come here so it’s just an amazing event that we hope to continue for years to come.”

Each child on the flight is living with some kind of medical condition impacting their everyday lives. They take medications daily and visit doctors consistently throughout the year, they could be forced to be in a wheelchair, or visually impaired. On Saturday, they forget all about that for a few hours with the holiday season in full swing.

Some were able to take out some frustrations perhaps with a snowball fight and no one was safe as the cotton balls were thrown from all angles.

“The pilots have donated their time, the flight attendants have donated their time. There’s not one person here being paid to do this,” she said. “They are doing it out of their heart, out of their love, and the joy of giving back.”

This year, it took partners like the FBI, TSA, and Kansas City Police Department to ensure each child had a safe, playful, and exciting time.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “In a world where you can be anything, be kind. I think [Saturday] we see all the kindness in the world.”

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