Terminally-ill cancer sufferer, 8, completes bucket list wish to skydive from plane

An eight-year-old boy with terminal cancer has ticked off his bucket list dream of skydiving. 

Paxton Idell was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2021 when he was 5 and after intense treatment he was cancer-free for a year, but it returned and is now terminal. 

His parents, Kristian and Amanda, have been trying to help him have every life experience he can in the short time he has left. 

Kristian told WTSP: 'Given his condition, it’s hard for us to say no to anything.' 

This weekend, Paxton travelled to Castroville, Texas, to fulfill his dream of skydiving. 

Paxton Idell was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2021 when he was 5, after intense treatment he was cancer-free for a year, but it returned and is now terminal

Paxton's mother, Amanda, told WTSP: 'After intensive chemotherapy he ended up being cancer-free for about a year. And then April 5 of 2023, he relapsed.'

She said a relapse of his type of brain cancer is terminal. 

But she added that his prognosis will not stop her son from fulfilling everything on his bucket list.

When he asked to go skydiving, Amanda said: 'The words that he said to me was, "I’ve never done that my whole life."

'And my mom heart just kind of dropped. And that actually kind of set the precedence for everything that’s happened since.'

It was a hard bucket list item to set up as there are many regulations around children and safety. 

Amanda said: 'They’re very strict in the U.S. about kids under the age of 18 parachuting. So it’s getting attorneys involved, the equipment manufacturers involved.'

The family traveled to Castroville to meet tandem skydiving instructor, Noah Watts. 

Paxton travelled to Castroville, Texas , to fulfill his dream of skydiving with his parents

As well as skydiving, Paxton has already been paragliding and been to the zoo, and the family are determined to tick more things off

Watts said: 'I’m hoping he gets anything and everything that he wants. 

'This is definitely a passion jump for him.'

Kristian decided to jump with his son and went up with him in the plane, where his mother said he wasn't even scared. 

The family wrote on Facebook: 'This kid has zero fear. Paxton so ever cool as cucumber even started falling asleep on the plane.'

Video of the awesome moment was captured on camera and showed Paxton grinning as he spun through the air. 

As well as skydiving, Paxton has already been paragliding and been to the zoo, and the family are determined to tick more things off. 

A GoFundMe to help the family with medical bills has raised $3,000.