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FARMINGTON — Claps and cheers were abundant at the entrance of "Loganland" in Farmington Wednesday when the park's namesake made his grand entrance.
Logan Knapp, 7, high-fived a friend wearing a Loganland T-shirt before the whole entourage was soon adorned with the same blue apparel as they all made their way into the theme park, formerly known as Lagoon.
The transformation of the park — made possible by a Make-A-Wish Foundation partnership with America First Credit Union — paled in comparison to the changes the Knapp family has experienced in the past year-and-a-half.
It was in January 2022 when then-5-year-old Logan experienced a tumble at a park, leading his parents to take him to the hospital to check for a broken bone. That hospital visit did not reveal a broken bone, but, instead, the devastating news that their son had leukemia. According to his mother Kellie Knapp, those first days at the hospital were very difficult.
"While his friends were in school learning their ABC's and playing on the playground, he was getting blood transfusions and chemotherapy," Kellie Knapp, who has chronicled the trial online, said Wednesday. "In those really hard, long days in the hospital, we talked about his wish. … It brought us so much hope."
Kellie Knapp spoke about Logan's love for not just riding roller coasters, but designing them, and how they would talk about their plans to visit a theme park when he got better. She said that Logan already has three roller coaster prototypes he has designed and named. Prior to his diagnosis, the boy had celebrated a Lagoon-themed birthday party.
It was dreaming about the future that got them through those long days in the hospital that included eye surgery to save his eyesight due to the adverse effects of chemotherapy — and even a life-threatening allergic reaction. Logan is now in remission from cancer and, according to his mom, is expected to fully recover. His recovery has made the trip to Loganland that much more enjoyable for Logan and his family.
I'm just really proud to be his mom.
–Kellie Knapp
That enjoyment was evident as Logan boarded the golf cart that would transport him and his family around the park Wednesday.
"How are you feeling?" Kellie Knapp asked her son.
"I don't know!" Logan exclaimed with a smile.
"Are you excited, are you overwhelmed? Do you want to do a happy dance? This is exciting!" Kellie Knapp said to her son.
Logan did do his happy dance, complete with a Fortnite "Floss," and then said, "I'm more excited than you are, mom!"
The duo showed complete elation for the experience, but nobody was happier to see the two of them share this joy than Logan's dad, Rich Knapp.
"It's just emotional," Rich Knapp said. "It's just been a tough year, and it's just so exciting to see all the support. I know he's just loving it. It's a happy occasion just seeing him smile. … My wife carried most of the burden during all the treatments, so it's also so good to see her so happy, too."
Another surprise
As Logan made his way through Loganland, there was little evidence indicating the hard days Logan's parents spoke of; only childhood wonder and excitement as he toured the familiar park and learned about the inner workings of the rides from the park's lead engineer.
At each stop, Logan was given a task of gathering puzzle pieces that he would put together to form the "real" surprise of the day — a trip to Disney World.
"This is more than we could design for ourselves," Kellie Knapp said. "I love my son so much, so for other people to recognize what he loves and be willing to set this up for him is truly a dream come true. I used to think that Make-A-Wish was an amazing charity, but now I want to live with them! I love Make-A-Wish so much!"
As the family prepares for the trip to Disney World, Kellie Knapp said they are looking forward to this time with their family as they heal from the past year, but she also said that the whole experience leading up to now has taught her more about her son.
"(Logan) is super wise, he takes everything in stride. He is incredibly hard working, and the little things don't trip him up because he's able to have this bigger picture," she said. "It's shocking to have a 7-year-old come out of something so hard and be so inspiring to me and to so many strangers. I'm just really proud to be his mom."
