DURHAM, N.C. — An 8-year-old boy with a terminal illness got his wish for a treehouse in his backyard.
Durham firefighters helped build the treehouse for Lorenzo Andrade-Cruz almost every day for three weeks.
The blue treehouse has a Spider-Man theme inside and is complete with a bunk bed and desk. It also has a deck with a small table and chairs overlooking the trees.
It's decked out with two iPads and an Xbox 360 inside.
The Pennsylvania-based nonprofit Jamie's Dream Team gathered donations and volunteers to grant Lorenzo's wish.
Lorenzo isn't wasting any time enjoying his new space, and his mother, who only speaks Spanish, was emotional as she thanked volunteers.
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"How they took the time to come and support," she said in Spanish.
Steve Smith, of Pittsboro, lost a son and wanted to help when he saw Lorenzo's story on WTVD. He took the lead on coordinating volunteers.
"His mom and I don't speak the same language, but we do speak the same language when it comes down to it," he said.
Lorenzo has ALD, a disorder that destroys the protective sheath that surrounds the brain's neurons -- the nerve cells that allow us to think and to control our muscles. He lost both of his brothers to the same genetic condition.
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