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(L-R) Ryan And Aiden Miller in front of the 1998 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)
Resilient Positivity

Red Deer teen with muscular dystrophy lives dream of riding exotic car

Aug 11, 2022 | 1:57 PM

The law of attraction says those who put positivity into the world, will get it back. For young Aiden Miller, the Red Deer community gave it back in the form of one of his lifelong dreams: a ride in an exotic sports car.

At 13-years-old, Miller has suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) since the age of two, a genetic disorder leading to rapid muscle deterioration.

Although the disorder limits Aiden’s physical capabilities, his resilient positivity is unbreakable.

“Sometimes, there are people that are just out there to destroy people’s lives because they think it’s funny but I’ve learnt to counter that and think against that,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what people say, I just have to think about the good things that people do say and [what] the friends that I have made do say because there are many people there that are trying to help me.”

His love of sports cars began with a collection of hot wheels, quickly becoming a topic of research to understand the science behind their speed. Vocalizing his interest to those around him, one local was compelled to make it happen.

On Wednesday, Aiden sported red racing gloves and a bright smile as he sat beside Ryan in a 1998 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta in the Italian classic Rosso Corsa bright red exterior and tanned interior.

(rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

Featured in Super Street magazine, this modified 400hp Ferrari has a high revving v8 engine making it sound like an old F1 racecar, a special race suspension lowering it to the ground, carbon Kevlar body parts and a host of other one-off special Ferrari challenge race parts.

“It’s so good to pass on the adrenaline and have somebody feel what you feel when you get to go for a ride in one of these cars. The more good feelings we can pass around, the better the world is,” said Ryan.

That word, adrenaline, is what Aiden used to describe the day, flying through the streets of Red Deer. However, not all days are as smooth for the teenager.

(Go Live Foundation)

From British Columbia, Aiden was placed in foster care before being brought to Alberta by an aunt. His grandparents, 74-year old Steve Bradbury and 67-year-old Janice Miller Bradbury, then brought Aiden into their care in Red Deer.

Side effects of his medication are stunted growth and increased appetite, resulting in difficulties that Aiden says have caused strangers to mistake him for someone in the second grade.

His condition also increases susceptibility to accidents, his most recent a broken bone in his foot from walking on an uneven trail during the start of church summer camp.

Despite this, his grandparents say he is still one of the lucky ones.

They say Aiden’s clever mind, natural wit, positive attitude and eloquent communication skills have attracted many.

Not only did Make-A-Wish Foundation grant him a visit to Florida’s Legoland before the pandemic but Janice says Muscular Dystrophy Canada and Alberta’s Kinship care program, for families taking in children, have been of great support, among other social workers and counsellors.

While Janice says she has had difficulty getting Aiden a wheelchair due to challenges between the governments of British Columbia and Alberta, The Lending Cupboard in Red Deer has provided the support for the past two years.

“There’s a display of the value of the good people that are in our community, that they care about others,” said Steve in tears. “It’s a great community here in Red Deer.”

(L-R) Aiden’s grandfather Steve Bradbury, Ryan, Aiden Miller, and grandmother Janice Miller Bradbury. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

The Bradburys say their Christian faith and support from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has guided their family.

“Try and strengthen your family in any way that you can so that you can withstand the challenges that are upon you,” said Janice. “There’s a reason for everything and he [Aiden] could use this to his good and he could make a difference while he’s here.”

Finally, it was their friend Cheryl Wowk, local Red Deerian and Ryan’s aunt, who was the driving force behind making this boy’s wildest dream of riding in a bright red sports car, a reality.

“No matter what your situation, no matter what sort of hand you’ve been dealt, you can make choices in life. We don’t always get to control everything that happens to us but always moving forward and working towards the best you can be in life is important. It has nothing to do with materialistic items or cars or anything like that but just always having a goal and always chasing that goal and never giving up,” said Ryan.

According to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, those suffering DMD have a life expectancy into their 30’s; however, that number is slowly increasing. Aiden believes with medical advancements, he will “blow past that”.

“I have many goals that I want to get to and have in life in the future. So I try to remember that life is going to be great and I have to live it for as long as I may have,” he said.

Aiden Miller in the 1998 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

Red Deer’s Go Live Foundation will be hosting on Sunday, August 14 at Das Auto (4630 61 St #3) their first Drive to Thrive event fundraising for Kids Cancer Care, a car show taking children battling cancer on rides in some of the world’s most exotic cars.