At 13 years old, Dario Villaseñor Valdivia has showcased an infectious love for life. Raised in Vancouver, Wash., Dario loves oranges, his long-haired plush toy and creating stick animation for his YouTube channel–all things referenced on his Nike Air Huarache.
The jokester’s diagnosis is Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), a rare cancer of the blood. Dario had a bone marrow transplant at the age of 6, but his body attacked the donor cells, leaving his lungs severely damaged. Being surrounding by people he loves (as well as Chinese food), however, have helped him in his journey.
