Teen survives brain tumor, completes 'Dream Pursuit'

Weston Livingston, 13, of Jackson was diagnosed with a brain tumor in July after previously being misdiagnosed with chronic migraines.

His father, Eston Livingston, said Weston was traveling to Florida for a vacation with his grandparents when he became sick, fell and hit his head.

After a trip to the emergency room in Cape Girardeau and further tests, he was rushed to St. Louis Children's Hospital. The doctors found a brain tumor the size of a tennis ball at the base of his brain, wrapped around his spine.

The following Monday, Weston underwent an 11-hour surgery to remove the tumor.

Shortly after, a social worker from the hospital came to speak with him in his room.

Eston said the social worker asked Weston what he likes to do, to which he quickly answered hunting and fishing.

A short time later, she brought him a pamphlet that told about Dream Pursuit, a not-for-profit organization that, according to its website, provides "hunting and fishing adventures to children and young adults 21 years of age and younger who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness."

Along with the help of Rick Davis, the president and founder of Dream Pursuit, a dream hunting excursion in Edgar Springs, Missouri, was planned for Weston with his ideal hunting quarry in mind.

Even before the trip, Eston said knowing the hunt was planned boosted Weston's spirits.

He excitedly began to tell his visitors in the hospital about the trip and what he would get to do.

"It really helped in a lot of ways that people don't even think about," Eston said.

From Sept. 21 to 23, Weston and his father went on a hunt for red stag and stayed at the Stone Creek Hunting Ranch in Edgar Springs.

Eston said the whole experience was wonderful, and that Weston had always dreamed of doing something like this, but it had not been an affordable option.

Tracy Livingston, Weston's mother, agreed.

"This is something that we couldn't do for him at this time," she said. "After the summer that he had, and we didn't know what the outcome was going to be, it was a great experience that he was able to do. And I can't express my thanks for everyone involved in making this dream come true for him."

Tracy and Eston expressed gratitude for the opportunity given by Davis and Dream Pursuit to make their son's dream hunt come to life.

"I believe that this organization was a great experience for a child who suffered a life-threatening illness, and it [gave] him a chance to do something that he has always wanted to do," Tracy said.

"More people need to know about organizations like that," Eston said. "It just takes a lot of people that donate a lot of money to be able to do this. It was a really neat experience."