A Teen Once Told He Might Not Survive Is Now Walking Through Disney, Celebrating The Milestones His Family Feared He Would Never See

The most powerful part of Roman Coons-Kelley’s journey is not only what he has survived, but what he is still getting to experience after doctors once feared those moments might never come.

Back in April, Roman suffered a complete bowel obstruction and spent nearly a month in the hospital. His family says doctors warned them to prepare for the possibility that he might not make it out.

They worried he would never turn 18. They worried he would miss prom. They worried he would never walk across the graduation stage. They worried he would never live long enough to take his Make-A-Wish trip.

But Roman kept going.

Today, his mother, Serene, says Roman has celebrated his 18th birthday, gone to prom, graduated from high school, and is now at Walt Disney World making memories with his family.

What makes it even more emotional is that Roman remains on palliative care. He receives TPN nutrition and IV fluids for 16 hours every day, and when this trip ends, he will return home to restart chemotherapy.

Doctors once believed he would need a wheelchair for Disney. Instead, Serene says Roman is walking four to eight miles a day through the parks, staying beside the people who love him.

His future is still uncertain. His doctors cannot tell his family how much time he has.

But right now, Roman is not defined by fear.

He is celebrating. He is laughing. He is living.

For a family once told to prepare for goodbye, every step through Disney is more than a vacation.

It is a miracle they get to hold onto.

Please keep Roman and his family in your thoughts as he enjoys this special trip before returning home for more treatment.