Grateful Hubbard siblings let Christmas spirit shine

By AMANDA TONOLI

atonoli@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Some special visitors sat in for Santa Claus at Wilson Elementary on Wednesday afternoon.

Siblings Ricky, 20, and Mackenzie Pasco, 17, both of Hubbard, stood in for Santa during a visit to pre-kindergarten through third-grade children in their classrooms, giving each student a jingle-bell necklace and a bag of reindeer food.

When Santa himself is too overwhelmed to make every pre-Christmas event, they help him out, saying it’s their way to give back.

Both Pasco siblings spent a lot of their younger years in the hospital.

Each was born with common variable immune deficiency, a disorder that makes them highly susceptible to infection. As children, each was granted a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation – they chose to go to Disney World.

“My mom just always raised us to be kind and be nice,” Ricky said. “My wish trip changed my life for the better and showed me how kind and good people can be, and now I want to give back the experience I had when I was younger.”

He’s motivated by the spirit of the season, he added.

“I remembered how much my wish trip meant for me and now I’m giving back,” Ricky said.

That sense of paying it forward also appeals to Mackenzie.

“I just love kids,” she said. “We get to give them something they may not have had otherwise.”

Now, Ricky and Mackenzie get plasma infusions each month to boost their immune systems.

Kim Pasco, Ricky and Mackenzie’s mother, is beyond proud of her children’s giving natures.

“They really try to give back,” she said. “They truly are my heroes.”

In 2009, the Pasco family formed Ricky-Mack Giving Back, raising money for other children who qualify through Make-A-Wish. They conduct a fundraiser every October, and to date, they and the Hubbard community have raised nearly $68,000 to make children’s wishes come true.

The most special part of the day, Kim said, was to be able to help Santa by visiting students who may not have otherwise had the chance to see him.

“We want to help make Christmas special for the kids,” she said.

Courtney Angelo, third-grade teacher, echoed Kim’s sentiment.

“Being able to see what they do for the community, to put into words, is beyond amazing,” she said. “Some of these kids have never seen Santa before. I think this just makes their lives better and makes them happy.”