SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — In 2013, Brooklyn McKenzie was a 7-year-old girl selling jam to raise enough money to go to the Happiest Place on Earth. That was until she saw a picture of a 5-year-old Colombian boy with Down syndrome who was looking for a family.
"I decided that Vaughn needed a home more than I needed Disneyland," Brooklyn said Monday.
Starting that summer nearly 10 years ago, Brooklyn raised $562 to go towards a $15,000 adoption grant for Vaughn-Jose created by Brady Murray and his RODS Heroes organization.
"We'd been advocating through the various media channels and social media channels, and for whatever reason we just could not find this guy a family until the miracle happened just this last year," explained Murray.
Ten years after Brooklyn helped raise money for his adoption, Vaughn-Jose found his forever family.
"I saw a video with Brooklyn and [Vaughn-Jose's] story and watched it several times, and then said, 'Ryan, remember when we were talking about adopting? I found him,'" said Melanie Janus, Vaughn-Jose's mother.
Brooklyn and her mother were able to meet Vaughn-Jose, his brother and their parents, Ryan and Melanie, for the first time Sunday.
"We'd never met this family before, but we knew that we already loved them because of the kinds of things they're willing to do to help total strangers," said Ryan Janus.
Now 16, Vaughn-Jose lives in Colorado Springs with his parents and five siblings, including a brother, Ty, who also has Down syndrome.
"There definitely are unique challenges that they have," explained Ryan. "There's linguistic challenges, many physical challenges that so-called typical kids don't have, but they are some of the happiest, most well-balanced people in the world."
After all these years, 18-year-old Brooklyn has still never been to Disneyland, but thanks to a special donor, RODS Heroes had one more surprise for both Brooklyn and Vaughn-Jose.
They learned Monday that the two who became connected nearly a decade ago are heading to Disneyland.
"As a 7-year-old, I never would've expected that such a little thing would make such a big difference," remembers Brookyn, "but looking back, just that little amount of work put so much good in the world."
