Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker was just one of the people who showed up to support a 9-year-old boy who is legally blind after he set up a lemonade stand to fund his dream trip to the Great Wall of China. Jonathan Gonzalez reports Sept. 1, 2023.
Like any kid, all Grayson Roberts wanted was to have a normal summer break before starting 4th grade.
“He wasn't allowed to do any of the traditional summer things. No swimming, no beach, no sand, no dirt. And he loves dirt,” said Terica Roberts, Grayson’s mom.
The reality is Grayson isn’t just any other kid — he lives with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome, a disease that has left him legally blind.
At just 9 years old, Grayson has already undergone 32 surgeries — including five cornea transplants — in hopes of saving the little sight he has left.
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“Basically, he was born without a chromosome, so his eyes never fully developed,” Roberts explained. “He has a lot going on to the front part of his eye.”
Grayson loves to stay busy, especially playing drums and other instruments, but much of his summer break was taken up by yet another surgery in July, so Roberts had a great idea.
“We ran out of activities to do in the house and fun things to do, so we came up with the lemonade stand,” she said.
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It was the perfect way for Grayson, who lives in Los Angeles, to soak up the last bit of summer and to help him raise some money for his lifelong dream to travel to China to see the Great Wall.
But he could’ve never expected what happened next. Social media influencer Charlie Rocket, along with the Dream Center Foundation, partnered to host Grayson’s stand, calling it “Limitless Lemonade.”
The venture was a huge hit, with people lining up to support the young entrepreneur, including pop punk drumming legend Travis Barker.
Barker and Grayson even performed together.
“It was really fun, and a lot of people came,” Grayson said.
It was truly a moment not only for Grayson, but for his family.
Soon after the lemonade stand, they were surprised by Booking.com with an all-expenses paid trip to China so Grayson can see the Great Wall he’s always dreamed of seeing.
“We want the world to know that, you know, kids with special needs want to experience special moments, just like typical children,” Roberts said. “And I just try to expose him to as much as I can. It's very important for him to experience things, while he does have vision, to create memories.”
