In loving memory
Nick’s story
Support The Kid was founded in 2010 by Nicholas “The Kid” Wolber and friends. It all started with his love, empathy and vision.
Chapters
Nicholas Alexander Wolber is born.
At the age of 22, Nick was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma, a rare form of soft tissue cancer, similar to Ewing’s sarcoma, a pediatric cancer.
He had surgery to remove the cancer from his leg and spent several months receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Over the next 24 months he endured three more painful surgeries on his leg.
In the children’s cancer ward, he saw first hand what cancer does to children, and it affected him deeply.
As his first round of treatment neared its end, Nick and his friends began raising money and gifts to brighten the days of the children and families he had met.
Almost five years
After this first battle, Nick was cancer free for almost five years.
He walked with a limp, often with a cane, but never a complaint and always a quick smile.
He met his true love, and they became engaged.
He completed his bachelor’s degree and became an avid Auburn football fan who went to a game every year.
Each Christmas he made a special trip to share his story and his positive attitude with the children in Sloan Kettering’s cancer ward.
After chest pains, Nick went to the hospital. Tests showed the cancer had returned, in his leg and in his chest.
He found a specialist at Sloan Kettering who agreed to operate, though the surgery was extremely dangerous.
The Sunday before his surgery, Nick prayed with his parish and told them:
“Let’s do this! See you all next week.”
The surgery was a success. True to his word, Nick returned to an amazed parish the following Sunday.
Nick and his friends founded Support The Kid.
During his treatment at Cohen’s Children’s Hospital in New York, Nick was touched by the spirit and innocence of the children he met.
He relished the big brother role, playing with the kids to brighten their day.
He started it so that, no matter what his fate, his legacy of strength, faith and positivity would live on and be a shining light for others in difficult situations.
Nick began experimental vaccine treatments in Dallas, Texas.
Nick’s right leg was amputated above the knee.
Undaunted, he spent months in physical therapy and fought hard to learn to walk again, dreaming of shredding fresh powder on his snowboard.
Thanks to generous donations from friends and family, and with the help of a specialized prosthetic leg, Nick realized his dream: he snowboarded down Stratton Mountain.
Nick’s brave battle came to an end.
With joyful tears, Nick’s family and friends receive official status as a 501(c)(3) charity from the IRS.
Our first Founder’s Event is hosted in Nick’s honor, on his birthday.