Ryan Ostry
Bugle Reporter
@RyanOstry_BR18
rostry@buglenewspapers.com
Some 13-year-olds are celebrated for making a team, getting good grades in school, or doing a good deed for someone else.
Others, are named Bonaparte Moutima.
An eighth grade student at Dirksen Middle School has not only has been fighting a life-threatening blood disorder most of his life, but he also is fighting villains on the silver screen as he starred in a film called, “The Serum”.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation recently assisted in helping the talented teenager co-write and film the short movie that was produced last year.
On April 17, the Rialto Square Theatre welcomed the community for a free preview of the film.
When Bonaparte was three-years-old, he was diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease, the medical team at Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago referred him to Make-A-Wish Illinois.
Through the generous donations of individual, corporate and foundation supporters and hundreds of dedicated local volunteers, Make-A-Wish creates life-changing experiences to help build resilience and restore optimism for seriously ill children like Bonaparte.
“It’s really overwhelming all of the support we have received,” said Stella Matingou, Bonaparte’s mom. “With everyone coming here and all of the help, it’s all been great.”
A crowd of hundreds of screaming and chanting spectators stood outside anxiously awaiting the arrival of Bonaparte and his family in a limousine, followed by the 13-year-old walking on a red carpet with his mother and brother.
Before his movie premiered, the jubilant audience lined up for pictures, autographs and to congratulate the hard working young man on his efforts.
“It’s a little overwhelming but I feel really good,” Bonaparte said.
For Bonaparte’s wish, dozens of professionals from Chicago’s film community volunteered their time and talent to craft his remarkable experience.
In the film, Bonaparte played a superhero, where his character is a doctor who had superpowers after ingesting a secret formula.
As most people know, with every hero, there is a villain.
Bonaparte’s villain was a jealous colleague who stole his serum to use for evil.
When asked why this was his wish he wanted, he replied that he “always wanted to know what it would be like to be a doctor”.
Overall, the film took 14 hours to write, and was filmed in Chicago at the famous McCormick Place.
Even through the generosity instilled by all of the doctors, family and friends, Bonaparte still is undergoing treatment for his disease.
According to his mother, the disease is treatable, but unfortunately the disease can never be 100 percent cured.
For Bonaparte, he said that he is very fortunate for all of the advice and help he has gotten along the way, and he also shared some helpful hints for anyone that is going through the same thing he did, or any other crippling disease.
“I would just tell people to keep fighting, you will make it and to always stay strong,” he said.