10-year-old Prince super fan with brain cancer has Paisley Park dream fulfilled

CHANHASSEN, Minn. (FOX 9) - They came from around the world to pay their respects and to get a glimpse into the life of a music legend.

Among them is a boy who is barely old enough to remember a time when the artist was alive.

“I love Prince because I can feel what he says. I can feel what he means in the music,” said Kayden Czepiel, the spunky 10-year-old. 

Czepiel came all the way from Pennsylvania and is a self-described Prince super fan. He was introduced to the music only a few years ago. His parents say it was love at first listen.

“As he told us one day, ‘Mom, I can be like Prince and do anything no matter what anybody says,’” his mom Veronica Czepiel recalled.

Kayden isn’t just doing anything, though. For the last seven years, he’s been fighting an aggressive form of brain cancer.

“That’s why I have all these scars,” Kayden said.

The music, however, helped him through the many rounds of chemotherapy.

“I woke up and I was singing it to my nurse,” Kayden said. “Trying to occupy my mind with something other than pain.”

On the internet, he found a community of other Prince super fans. It’s those fellow fans who raised $5,900 to bring Kayden to Minneapolis.

“I’m so proud that I brought everybody together,” Kayden said. “I can’t believe I have so many people that just want to see me.”

The group makes dreams come true, one purple landmark at a time.

“And we call them the purple fam,” Kayden said. “It’s just so great.”