Emotional holiday for family of Minnesota boy honored by Wild

Family keeping Make-a-Wish child's memory alive

The Paszkiewicz family has to face their first holiday without their eldest son Weston, who died from leukemia. FOX 9's Leon Purvis has more.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Paszkiewicz family is navigating their first holiday season without their beloved son, Weston, who was honored by the Minnesota Wild.

READ MORE: Minnesota Wild honors 10-year-old boy who died of leukemia

Adjusting to a new normal

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Weston Paszkiewicz, a 10-year-old boy, passed away after battling leukemia for nearly a year. 

His father, John, described him as "truly one of a kind" and a child who loved being part of something bigger than himself. 

Last month, Weston had the chance to sign with the Wild for a day, thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. 

Hockey was one of his passions, and he was thrilled to be on the ice with the pros.

John Paszkiewicz said, "He loves hockey, but it's not just playing; it's everything that goes with it. For him, just being a part of something was his favorite part."

The family, including Weston's mom Danielle, tried to make the most of the time they had with him. 

"You always hope for more. You always hope for more days, more memories, more time together as a family," said Danielle.

Creating new holiday traditions

What they're saying:

The Paszkiewicz family had to adjust their holiday traditions to include Weston before his passing. 

Danielle shared, "We did some of those holiday things earlier than we normally would've. We usually get a tree after Thanksgiving, but we put the tree up early, and stockings, and started putting up our outdoor rink early, our outdoor lights, so he could take part in some of those things."

John mentioned that Weston will still be a part of their holidays "in some way, shape, or form; it's just obviously going to be a little different."

One thing John and Danielle plan to do is honor Weston’s Christmas list to Santa Claus. 

You may be surprised, but the top item on his list was a Sidney Crosby jersey. 

He plays for the Penguins, which was the team the Wild faced when Weston joined them last month.