Cancer Surviving Teenager Surprised With Prize Brahman Heifer At Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

Making this young man’s dream come true.

Over the weekend, a Texas teenager got the surprise of a lifetime at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Brady Barton, a Central Texas high school senior, headed down to Houston’s NRG Stadium to attend the massive rodeo, fulfilling his wish after battling cancer.

Barton, an avid lover of agriculture, was expecting to attend the rodeo event and concert that night with his family, along with a few of the livestock exhibitions during the day before the evening festivities. However, he was surprised to learn upon his arrival that he would be the guest judge during the Class 15 Brahman Heifer Show.

When Barton stepped into the ring with the accredited judge, he was taken aback by the stunning prize-winning animals all competing for the Grand Champion title. However, as the judge announced which cow was the class winner, he was met with another surprise.

“Congratulations, it’s yours.”

Brady Barton was gifted with the class-winning heifer, which fulfilled Barton’s lifelong dream of owning “fancy” Brahman cattle. KHOU11 reported that this breed of cattle has always been Barton‘s favorite.

“I just always, since I was itty bitty, wanted to be around cows. I just always wanted a Brahman heifer. A real fancy one.”

In another interview with the Houston Chronicle, Barton noted that while he has about 10 head of Brahman cattle right now, he’s not used to the level of quality genetics found in the newest member of his herd.

“Well, like the judge said, her momma won Grand (Champion) here a couple years ago, and just real high quality genetics. Something that I ain’t used to. Just all fancy cattle… Hopefully, I can keep her genetics going good in my herd. Pass that down to my kids and their grandkids, just something I’ll always remember and think about.”

@houstonchronicleA Make-A-Wish participant from Cameron, Texas got the surprise of a lifetime at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Thursday afternoon. Brady Barton, 17, was surprised with a Brahman heifer after he thought he was serving as a guest judge at the Class 15 Brahman Heifer Show. As Barton came prepared to step into the ring as a special honorary guest judge alongside International Brahman Show Judge Chris Mullinix, Barton said he didn’t know something he had wished for previously would be coming true. Michelle Mason, director of marketing and communications for Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast Louisiana said that organizers had no idea whether they would be able to pull off the surprise. “It was truly a very spectacular, life-changing day, and just to be able to see Brady’s reaction and the smile that he had on his face when he realized that he was going to be able to take home this heifer was just the cherry on top,” Mason said. Click the link in our bio to read more. : Ralph Green / Houston Chronicle reporter : @melissaphillip713 / Houston Chronicle photographer

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Michelle Mason, director of marketing and communications for Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast Louisiana, noted that they were shocked to see it all come together and were thrilled to make this wish a reality.

“It was truly a very spectacular, life-changing day, and just to be able to see Brady’s reaction and the smile that he had on his face when he realized that he was going to be able to take home this heifer was just the cherry on top.”

At fifteen, Barton was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy, when doctors discovered something that would change the course of his life. Lymphoma. His parents recalled being worried about their son, given they were told it was a very fast-growing cancer. But Barton showed lymphoma that they picked the wrong person to mess with, and he beat it.

Now Cancer-free, Barton can return to his passion of breeding and showing cattle, adding some fancy genetics to his herd thanks to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.

It’s truly spectacular what Make-A-Wish does…