In the pursuit of stolen gifts, a boy finds himself in unusual places.
A Knock on the Door
GG Huggins, age nine, smiled when he heard the knock on the door. It was the morning of Christmas Eve, and his dad, Geohn Huggins, had told GG to expect a surprise.
His dad opened the door and two Olathe police officers walked in. GG didn’t know what to think. He listened carefully as the officers gave them some bad news. His dad had ordered Christmas presents from Amazon, including the Xbox that GG so desperately wanted.
“It seems that porch pirates have stolen your family’s Christmas gifts,” the police told GG. “Can you help us get them back?”
“Of course,” GG said.
The officers handed him a map and a clue. GG loved watching treasure hunting videos and was a whiz at analyzing situations. Instantly, he read the clue aloud.
Within my walls
Is where the 1985 & 2015 World Series trophies sit.
A curious lion celebrates in my halls,
And I’m where boys in blue are known for legendary hits.
“We need to go to Kauffman Stadium,” GG said.
A limo was waiting outdoors. GG’s dad helped him out of the house and put GG’s wheelchair in the trunk. A grinning GG settled in for his first limousine ride ever. And his first police escort.
A Hard Knock
A year and a half ago, GG’s life had changed. He’d had a good school year, excelling in math and science and impressing his teachers with his intelligence and politeness. During the first weeks of that summer, he zoomed around the neighborhood on his bike and did back flips on the trampoline. He was an active, athletic kid who loved sports, his family, and figuring out how things worked.
But in June, he told his dad, “My thigh hurts.” Geohn figured it was a spider bite and took his son to urgent care. They recommended a visit to Children’s Mercy Kansas City.
After testing, the doctors diagnosed him with metastatic osteosarcoma: GG had a large cancerous tumor on his femur. He couldn’t put weight on it, so he had to use crutches. The medical team had to remove the femur and replace it with a titanium bone. During the extensive rehab and recovery, GG maintained a calm and positive attitude, amazing and inspiring his dad and those around him.
The Hunt is On!
Now, it was GG’s turn to be amazed and inspired. The Chief Elf and his team had created a Christmas Eve extravaganza for GG by combining the things he loved most: Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Chiefs, heavy machinery (particularly giant cranes,) and treasure hunting.
Stop one: Kauffman Stadium.
As a staff member escorted them into the Owner’s suite, GG could not believe his eyes. He’d never seen anything this fancy. And when he learned the suite belonged to the actual owner of his favorite baseball team, all he could say was, “Wow!”
But GG was not slowed down by the majesty of his surroundings. He quickly discovered the next clue, sticking out of a Salvador Perez jersey. He was thrilled when they gave him the jersey. And even better, they had Royals clothes and swag for his dad and for his little brothers.
“This is crazy,” GG said, grinning.
But it got crazier. Suddenly he was meeting a chef for the Kauffman Stadium. GG loved hot chocolate and this chef made GG a special cup of fancy hot chocolate right then and there. The kitchen team had also arranged festive trays of candies and holiday cookies.
“Help yourself,” they told GG.
The snacks and presents were amazing, but GG had a treasure to track down and he kept focused on the next clue, which led them to the locker room.
GG was filled with excitement, being in this hallowed room. He spotted the clue, on top of a bat that was signed by Perez.
“This bat is for you, GG,” one of the stadium staff said. GG couldn’t believe he got to keep his hero’s bat. He’d been to a few baseball games with his dad, but he’d never experienced anything like this.
“If you see Mr. Perez, tell him I said ‘Thank you,” GG said.
Then, eager to find the treasure, GG sped ahead in his wheelchair.
“This is easy,” he said, reading the next clue:
“Keep your eyes peeled,
but near a different kind of field.
It’s a loud and special place
where the fans wear red…”
He stopped, smiling, “We’re going to Arrowhead!”
By the statue of Lamar Hunt, young elves welcomed GG and awarded him a framed and signed Patrick Mahomes jersey and a football autographed by Tyreek Hill. The elves pointed him to a treasure chest filled with golden coins. Inside the chest, he unearthed another clue.
“You’ll find the final clues
At a place where 435 & Highway 24 meet.
There, trucks and cranes await you,
And helpful elves stand ready to greet.”
But before they headed out, they received an insider’s tour of Arrowhead.
GG got to visit the Chief’s locker room, a dream come true. GG was a Superfan and having his picture taken in front of Patrick Mahome’s locker — wow! He couldn’t believe all that was going on.
Next thing he knew, GG and his dad were out on the actual football field. It was much bigger than he’d thought and it was supercool being there. From the field, they visited the Chief’s Hall of Honor, where GG experienced wearing a Super Bowl ring on his finger. He liked how heavy it felt. GG also liked holding the Super Bowl trophy. It was hard, taking off the ring, putting down the trophy, and leaving the stadium. But he had a mystery to solve and presents to find. For the final clue, GG and his dad got to ride in a KCMO police car, with the sirens blasting and the lights flashing. He loved it!
Large decorative candy canes lined the street leading to Custom Truck One Source. Then GG saw a banner with his name on it, flapping in the breeze, way up high, between two giant cranes. And a big wrapped box dangled from one of the cranes—the stolen Christmas presents!
GG used a special remote control to bring the box to the ground. Inside were gifts for him, his dad, and his brothers. All those boxes wouldn’t fit in one car, so the Olathe police loaded up their vehicle and followed GG and his dad’s limo home.
GG’s Life: The Biggest Gift
Christmas morning was a magical time at the Huggins house. The living room brimmed with brightly wrapped boxes and colorful bags, along with plates of delicious sweets and treats, all from GG’s grand treasure hunt. GG received a lot of marvelous things, including the Xbox he’d been yearning for. But his biggest reward was seeing the delight on his younger brothers’ faces as they opened their many gifts.
The Christmas Eve treasure hunt was a lifetime experience for both GG and his dad, a time when GG was truly happy, a day that they often talked about.
His father Geohn said: “GG has taught me, ‘Never give up, never get down. Always stay positive. Love the ones who are close to you and let them know how much you love them.”
