In early 2006, three-year-old Payton Wright started complaining of knee pain. Her parents, Holly and Patrick, were told it was probably growing pains, then possibly juvenile arthritis. When it didn’t improve, an MRI at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL found a tumor on her spine and pelvis. Payton was diagnosed with Medulloepithelioma, a rare and aggressive brain cancer, just weeks after her 4th birthday.
As she was wheeled into her first surgery, Payton looked at her worried father and told him, “Don’t worry, Dad. It’s gonna be a good day.” She fought her entire battle with that same attitude.
Payton was paralyzed from the waist down in August 2006 as the tumor pressed on her spine. She still graduated with her preschool class in May 2007. She passed away on May 29, 2007, at age 5.
Her parents promised her they would never stop fighting. They created the Payton Wright Foundation in her memory, carrying her spirit forward so other children facing brain cancer — and their families — know that it’s gonna be a good day.
Art With Heart
Patrick Wright and I spent months talking through how to bring Payton’s story to a wider audience. That led to a live FOX News performance and a painting created live at the Foundation’s gala — a moment that earned a standing ovation.
I came back for two more annual galas after that, and continued donating artwork to the Foundation’s other fundraising events. Over the years, that work helped generate real visibility for the Foundation on television, in newspapers, and in national magazines, and contributed to a meaningful amount raised in support of their mission.
That’s what I want my art to do — make an impression, and make a difference. In honoring Payton’s memory, it carries her message forward: courage, compassion, and the belief that it’s gonna be a good day.