Garcia, the son of Alex and Jennifer Garcia, was making the second and largest annual donation thus far, an act he intends to continue throughout his days in high school and possibly beyond.
“He started showing pigs when COVID hit and traditionally folks would bring a gift basket for their premium buyer,” Alex Garcia explained. “That year, the Youth Fair decided they weren’t going to do gift baskets so folks started making donations to organizations. Hudson wanted to give Cook Children’s and that’s because since 2 years old he’s basically grown up at Cook Children’s because of his little sister.”
Nine-year-old Addison Garcia, Hudson’s sister, has been diagnosed with Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemia Type I, along with a multitude of other ailments, according to her father. “She’s got a blood disorder where her body doesn’t recognize her own red blood cells and destroys them,” Alex said. “She’s nine years old and has had well over 100 blood transfusions at this point in her life. She’s transfusion dependent.”
Alex added, “Addison goes to Cook once a month as she has all nine years of her life, and I think seeing that really made an imprint on Hudson’s heart and his life. There’s no cure for Addison, but Hudson says that doesn’t mean he can’t do something to help other kids and help science, medicine and the hospital find ways to work better with cancer and other blood disorders like his sister has.”
Hudson donated $100 in 2021, his first time showing at the Youth Fair, and upon the announcement of the intended donation, a big cheer filled the arena, according to his father. Hudson did not make the sale in 2022, but returned in 2023.
“The second year when he didn’t make the sale he felt like he let his sister down,” Alex said. “He committed to work harder this past year to make the sale. We sat down and talked about what it would take in terms of commitment and work to make sure he got a spot in the sale. Stock shows have taught him about responsibility, hard work and commitment to show an animal. He feels he has a responsibility not just for the animals, but a responsibility to give back. He wants to do good with the money, and that good was making a bigger donation this year.”
Hudson intends to continue showing pigs and making donations to Cook Children’s until graduation. Meanwhile, the hospital is also in the process of developing a web page for Hudson’s Grand Drive so other people can get involved. The goal is to increase the amount given every year going forward, and Hudson and his parents encourage others to give through to soon to be live website as well.
The Garcia family wants to be involved in the fight to find a cure so that no other families or children ever have to experience what they have, along with the countless number of other children who are fighting for their lives against cancer and blood disorders.
“Hudson’s had to grow up quickly because of everything,” Alex said. “He understands at some point his sister is going to pass and he knows that. The hospital has been very up front with us, and we were told by several doctors that Addison wouldn’t make it past 3 and here we are at 9. He loves her, she loves him, she responds to him every time she hears him, laughs and giggles every time she knows he’s around. But he’s always just wanted to do a little bit more. He can’t save his sister’s life but he wants to help other siblings from having to go through what he’s had to go through.”