Long Beach Band Surprises Disabled Fan
LONG BEACH (CBS) — The best Christmas present was saved for last for 22-year-old Nelson Miles of Long Beach, who dreams of being a drummer despite his cerebral palsy.
The Long Beach Junior Concert Band will present him with his own snare drum Monday night in a surprise visit at his home.
The young man, who suffers from partial paralysis on his right side, watched the Long Beach Junior Concert Band in the Hollywood Christmas Parade six years ago and contacted late band leader Marvin Marker.
The group played at his 16th birthday party and "they've been in his life ever since," his mother, Tuesday Miles, told City News Service. "He knows every move, every song."
Nelson owns a hundred drum sticks and plays in the air all of the time, Miles said.
"That right hand that he only uses five percent of the time, he uses when he air drums." she said.
Tuesday Miles said when she began to look for a used snare drum for Nelson, the band took over and raised money to buy it themselves.
"He loves the band," said Don Koegle, a supporter of the band. "He's kind of been a fixture. He loves the drums, and we're glad we're able to do this for him."
Koegle said the band will present Nelson with sticks and the drum in front of his Long Beach home, then he can join them in playing some songs.
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