Posted on

Group makes bedroom a ‘Happy Place’ for one Elma 10-year-old

  • Kyler Meyers learned about his new remade and redesigned bedroom with his family Saturday in Elma. (Photo submitted.)

  • One of the new features to Kyler’s redesigned bedroom is a cabin for a bed. (Photo submitted.)

  • Kyler Meyers learned about his new remade and redesigned bedroom with his family Saturday in Elma. (Photo submitted.)

  • Kyler Meyers learned about his new remade and redesigned bedroom with his family Saturday in Elma. (Photo submitted.)

  • Kyler Meyers and his dad, Brian Meyers, check out some of the new additions to his bedroom Saturday at their home in Elma. (Photo submitted.)

  • Members of My Happy Place, volunteers, supporters and family members gather for the room unveiling for Kyler Meyers of Elma on Saturday. Photo submitted

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Everyone needs to occasionally find an escape from the daily grind.

For 10-year-old Kyler Meyers of Elma, there is no escape. Not ever.

Kyler hasn’t had a day without a seizure since he was an infant.

That’s when Kyler was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, also known as intractable epilepsy. He hasn’t found relief trying 12 different anti-epileptic medications, including medical cannabis.

He currently takes four anti-seizure medications but continues to have 10-20 seizures daily. He is wheelchair-bound and non-verbal as a result of the condition. He is surrounded by medical professionals and equipment daily.

According to his family, “Through all the seizures, ambulance rides, helicopter rides, weekly blood draws, half dozen hospitalizations a year, dozens of surgeries, all the fun and milestones of a ‘normal’ childhood missed, Kyler continues to smile and remind us all of what is truly important in life.”

And this past weekend, the organization My Happy Place brought some escape to Kyler.

My Happy Place is a non-profit group that does room makeovers for children faced with chronic or terminal illness or emotional distress. Thanks to the group, Kyler’s bedroom is now a nature center.

“His room is perfect,” exclaimed his mother, Amanda Meyers, when the room was revealed to Kyler and his family on Saturday. “It’s more than we ever could have imagined.”

Kyler now has a house bed which will give him more room than his previous twin bed, a blue painted ceiling to resemble the sky, a green area rug to get the feel of grass and fun details like a tall tree, a campfire, a stuffed owl perched on the roof of his house, as well as a stuffed squirrel sitting in the window. Full length mirrors were installed at ground level and a water tube that contains bubbles, fish and changing lights were added.

Judging by the excitement in his eyes and the smile on his face, Kyler was very appreciative.

Amanda said that Kyler is often denied the milestones and the normal life luxuries of a 10-year-old, such as watching whatever he wants on TV, running around in gym class with his peers, going to slumber parties and playing outside.

“We would give Kyler the world if we could, and My Happy Place is going to allow a little bit of heaven into his world,” Amanda said. “We are so excited for that. A place to call his own, where he can escape his reality and enjoy life.”

My Happy Place was founded in 2012 by Lisa Tan and Deidra Rattay of Mason City. It has a nine-member volunteer board, and 100 percent of all money raised and donated goes back into room renovations. The first bedroom makeover was in May of 2013, and since then, more than 50 bedrooms have gotten makeovers.

An affiliated group, My Happy Haven, does room redesigns for women diagnosed with cancer.

“Between the two organizations it’s gotten to be a full-time job, but I love it. It’s so fulfilling,” Tan said. “The reveal is so worth all the work.”

Until recently the group operated only within a 30-mile radius of Mason City. Kyler’s application was initially declined because Elma is outside of that radius, but Tan said the organization is intent on “taking it on the road.”

“We want to keep growing,” Tan said. “We want to share with others this gratifying endeavor, model how the process works and encourage others to do the same.”

The group is trying to gain exposure in order to gain affiliates. They already have affiliates in Watertown, South Dakota, and Fort Collins, Colorado. Tan said the group’s focus is to keep the expansion going, and added that if people know of a child who could benefit from the My Happy Place experience, they can go to the website and apply online at myhappyplacemc.com.

Tan also said that My Happy Place would love to find a person or small group of people in the Charles City and New Hampton areas who’d like to start a My Happy Place.

“We want to grow. We want people to do this everywhere,” she said. “It’s sometimes surprising that there are lot of people in the area who don’t know about us.”

In November, My Happy Place completed its first “on the road” room for a recipient based in Altoona. Kyler, in Elma, was the second. There is one scheduled next month in Mankato, Minnesota, and another in Indiana in February.

The process is quick — the rooms are typically remade in less than 24 hours. This past weekend, the family took Kyler out of the house on Friday. The painters went in on Friday night, the designers went in on Saturday morning. The work was completed by late Saturday afternoon. The big reveal — always a surprise to the child — was at 5:30 p.m.

The rooms are funded by sponsors. The Hauge family of Elma — Ben, Julie, Jeremy and Kellie — were sponsors for Kyler’s room and they devoted their Saturday to helping put Kyler’s room together. They are friends of Kyler’s parents, Brian and Amanda Meyer.

The money needed for the makeover came from the proceeds of a softball tournament held this past August in Elma in memory of the Hauges’ brother, Matt.

“It was a joy to work with such great sponsors who have big hearts and a passion to help others,” Tan said. “The support for this family from this entire community has been incredible.”

Tan said the tournament raised about $4,000 — enough for another room beyond Kyler’s.

Tan’s daughter, Jill Buckman — who lives in Mankato and is also a friend of the Hauge family — designed the room.

“She never fails in coming up with incredible rooms and makes working on them together such a joy,” Tan said.

Buckman was inspired to create the outdoor world for Kyler. Every room My Happy Place makes over is different, custom-designed and custom-built to the specific needs and likes of the child who will live in it. Usually there is a unique theme and color scheme.

The painter was Linda Kolbet and the photographer was Taylor Isakson. Members of the family and the community also supplied hotel accommodations, gift certificates to restaurants for the family — and pizza for the volunteers as they worked.

Tan said she was amazed by the kindness of the people of Elma.

“When we posted the items we needed for Kyler’s room, they were all taken care of within an hour of the post,” Tan said. “The love and support for the family was evident in the number of Facebook likes, shares and comments.”

Tan also mentioned that Elma’s beautiful, regionally famous Christmas decorations were a real treat as she drove home Saturday night.

“We could not do what we do without the help, love, and support of members of the community,” Tan said.

Social Share

LATEST NEWS