LDL. Hope on the Water: How a Community Is Rallying Around 14-Year-Old Will Roberts in His Fight Against Bone Cancer

Ralph, Alabama — At just 14 years old, Will Roberts has already faced more pain and loss than most people experience in a lifetime. Once a healthy, energetic boy who loved fishing, hunting, and being outdoors, Will is now fighting for his life against an aggressive form of bone cancer. His journey has been filled with surgeries, setbacks, hospital stays, and heartbreaking uncertainty — but also moments of grace, faith, and extraordinary community support.

Will was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer, after unexplained pain in his leg led to devastating news. What followed was a whirlwind of treatments, scans, and procedures no child should ever have to endure. Eventually, doctors were forced to amputate Will’s left leg in an effort to stop the cancer from spreading. For a young boy who loved being active outdoors, it was a crushing blow — but Will met it with bravery far beyond his years.

“He never complained,” his mother, Brittney Roberts, said. “He just kept saying, ‘Mom, we’re going to get through this.’”

But the disease did not stop there. In recent months, scans revealed new spots of cancer in other parts of Will’s body, including his pelvis, lungs, and femur. Each scan brought new fears. Each test meant waiting for results that could change everything. The cancer has continued to spread, making his future increasingly uncertain.

Despite the growing medical challenges, one dream has never left Will’s heart.

He wants to be out on the water.

Fishing has always been Will’s happy place. It’s where he feels free, strong, and most like himself. Long before his diagnosis, Will dreamed of owning a professional bass boat — the kind he watched in tournaments and fishing videos. After losing his leg and enduring painful treatments, that dream became even more important. It gave him something to hold onto when everything else felt out of control.

“When he’s fishing, he forgets he’s sick,” Brittney said. “He forgets the pain. He forgets the hospital. That boat represents freedom to him.”

Will’s parents, Brittney and Jason Roberts, had planned to buy their son a boat themselves. They even talked about financing one, determined to make his dream come true no matter what. But something unexpected happened.

A Christian organization called National Kidz Outdoors learned about Will’s story. Their mission is to bless children with serious illnesses or disabilities by giving them outdoor experiences that bring joy and healing. When they heard about Will, they didn’t hesitate.

“They told Jason that fishermen and outdoor groups from all over had come together and wanted to gift Will a brand-new bass boat for Christmas,” Brittney explained. “They wouldn’t even consider letting us pay for it.”

The news brought tears — not just because of the generosity, but because of what it meant. Someone saw Will. Someone believed he deserved something beautiful in the middle of so much pain.

As Will’s cancer progressed and his last PET scan showed widespread disease, his father asked if the boat could be delivered sooner, because of how uncertain the future has become. That was when the family learned the fundraiser was still about one-third short of the goal. Jason offered to cover the remaining cost himself, but National Kidz Outdoors refused.

Their mission is to give freely, not place a burden on families already carrying so much.

Unfortunately, when the fundraiser page was created by Carol Clark, the founder of National Kidz Outdoors, some people questioned whether it was legitimate. It was even reported and temporarily blocked, slowing down donations and putting the entire gift at risk.

“I want people to know this was never us asking for money,” Brittney said. “This was someone trying to bless our child.”

Because of the delays, the family made a decision. A local business in their community, The Meat Locker, had raised funds that were originally meant to go toward a used truck for Will when he turns 15 in two months. Brittney and Jason chose to use that money instead to finish funding the bass boat.

They did it quietly. Without asking anyone for anything.

“We’re not looking for handouts,” Brittney said. “We’re grateful for everything that’s already been given. Will is getting his boat because of love — not because we asked.”

Beyond the boat, the Roberts family is still living in the daily reality of childhood cancer. Will was rushed to Children’s of Alabama over the weekend after suffering another setback. Pain, fatigue, and complications have become part of their normal. No one knows what the next scan will show or how much time Will has.

But they do know this: they are not alone.

Messages, prayers, cards, and kindness continue to pour in from strangers across the country who have followed Will’s journey. People who have never met him feel connected to his courage and his smile.

“Some days are terrifying,” Brittney admitted. “But when Will is feeling okay, our house is full of laughter. He wants his friends around him. He wants to live.”

And that’s what the boat represents. Life. Possibility. A future, even if no one knows how long it will be.

Whether Will gets months, years, or a miracle, his story has already changed lives. It has reminded people that love matters. That kindness still exists. And that even in the darkest moments, hope can still float.

As Brittney says it best:
“We will keep believing. We will keep praying. And we will keep thanking God — on the good days and the bad.”