HOUSTON – A Houston little boy’s monster-sized dream is coming true thanks to Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana and Gexa Energy.
Four-year-old Max, affectionately known as “Gordo,” is full of joy, curiosity, and a love for monster trucks — especially Grave Digger, Megalodon, El Toro Loco, and T-Rex because, as he proudly says, “the trucks can fly!”
But the road to this moment hasn’t been easy.
Gordo’s mom, Cruz Lara, says what first seemed like a virus quickly spiraled into something much more serious, wreaking havoc on his immune system and leading to countless hospital visits, needles, blood transfusions, and uncertainty for the entire family. Doctors struggled to determine exactly what was wrong, and at one point Gordo even underwent chemotherapy treatment.
His mother says one of the hardest moments was watching him lose his beautiful long hair during treatment.
Now, seeing him healthy enough to experience the excitement of Monster Jam feels like a dream come true — not just for Gordo, but for the entire family.
That dream became even more special thanks to employees at Gexa Energy, who spent their weekend transforming the company’s downtown Houston headquarters into a monster truck-themed celebration space for Gordo’s big surprise reveal.
“It’s an incredible day for Gordo, but honestly it’s also an incredible day for all of us,” said Ryan McGeachie, President of Gexa Energy. “To come to work knowing you’re helping create joy for a child and a family who have been through so much — that’s a really meaningful feeling.”
Grit Farrell, Vice President of Revenue at Gexa Energy, said the event was a monster-sized feel-good moment for the team.
“To be able to bring some joy to a family that has gone through such hardship is incredibly special,” Farrell said. “Moments like this remind all of us what community is really about.”
The celebration was hosted alongside Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana, which has granted more than 11,900 wishes to local children since 1984.
Shelly Millwee, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana, said wish-granting isn’t the only way to help a kiddo like Max, the organization relies on the support of volunteers, and anyone interested in being part of helping make a dream come true can visit their website at wish.org/texgulf.
And for one Houston little boy who dreams of monster trucks flying through the air, this wish is officially full throttle.