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PHOENIX — Dakota Nash might be the ultimate comeback kid. He has endured challenges that would seem overwhelming if stretched over a lifetime, but has faced every difficult twist of fate in his young life with great courage, hope and heart.
"He has a level of wisdom about him that you don't expect in kids his age," said his father, Daniel Nash.
A brutal crime first tore Dakota's world apart. He was twelve when he and his younger brother witnessed a boyfriend murder their mother in Orem in 2006.
#tonja_nash
"Dakota was very close to his mother. We were expecting anger, some personality issues out of that. But he proved us all wrong with an attitude of looking at life a different way," Daniel Nash recalled.
That attitude would continue to be tested.
Following their mother's death, Dakota and his siblings moved to Arizona to live with their father. They received extensive counseling, but volunteering at a horse ranch that served children with disabilities seemed to help Dakota the most — preparing him for life's next great challenge.
In March 2010, Dakota was hit by a car. The accident left him in a coma with a severe brain injury.
"That was a hard time, because every day those doctors give you the worst-case scenario to prepare you," Daniel Nash said.
Dakota would have to learn how to walk, talk, feed and clothe himself again. Determined, he set his sights on a goal: to play on the high school basketball team.
"August 2011, his neurologist finally released him to play basketball. It had been his goal for a year and a half," Daniel Nash said.
But a few weeks later the unthinkable happened again.
Dakota's gums started bleeding. His father took him to the emergency room, and 20 minutes later they received the diagnosis: leukemia.
"The lightning now has hit him three times. How does it do that? Why does it do that?" Daniel Nash questioned.
Dakota admits he is looking for those same answers, but he also believes there is a definite reason for his trials. "There's gotta be. I just don't know what it is yet," he said.
When KSL News visited Dakota in Phoenix last week, he was in a lot of pain from treatments and infections. But he still put on a smile and cracked jokes.
"There is no point in having a negative attitude. Negativity just brings you down all the time, and positivity keeps you up," Dakota said.
The teen's strong spirit has had a huge impact on the medical teams that have treated him.
"He is just constantly worried about everyone else. He would run down the halls and make jokes to lighten the mood," recalled Stephanie Wiesen, one of his oncology nurses at Cardon Children's Medical Center.
On Valentine's Day, Dakota made sure everyone on his floor received a handmade Valentine — a typical Dakota gesture.
"I feel guilty at times, where I feel like I am not giving him what he needs. He is giving me so much more in return," Wiesen said.
Dakota routinely cheers on other patients on his floor, and he continues to be an example to his classmates back home in Cottonwood, Ariz. The high school has even created a Leadership and Courage Award in his honor.
Dakota plans to return to the basketball court, but he is also planning a future that will draw upon his experiences.
I've had experiences that can help people. ... I can help them because I can relate to them.
–Dakota Nash
"I've had experiences that can help people," Dakota said. "I can help people because I can relate to them."
He believes his mother's spirit has helped carry him through his challenges.
"She was strong. She was a fighter," Dakota said. "She didn't give up. She wouldn't back down."
And neither will her son.
"(Life) is like a maze," he said. "There is always a start and a finish. You just have to figure out how to get there."
Dakota is now recovering from a bone marrow transplant at Phoenix Children's Hospital. It was a 100 percent match, and his family is optimistic about his recovery.
For all the difficulties Dakota has faced, tiny miracles have also surfaced along the way. You can read more about that in the Deseret News.
And if you would like to send any words of encouragement to Dakota, you can post them on the Comment Board.
If you would like to contribute* to his medical expenses, visit www.fraank.org/beneficiaries.html.
Email: cmadsen@ksl.com
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*ksl.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does ksl.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
