RIVER FALLS — If you could wish for anything, what would it be? Some people would say money, a new car or an extravagant vacation, but for Coby Clark, a 10-year-old from River Falls, it was the TORO 72530 52” Grandstand Multi-force w/Low Flow lawnmower.

“Lawnmowing to me is the art of cutting grass,” Coby said. “I just love mowing.”

In February 2023, Coby was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. After the diagnosis, Coby was made aware that he could dream up a wish through Make-A-Wish. Coby wished for new hockey pads and was told to dream bigger before thinking of a trip to Australia.

“An hour later, he was like ‘Nope, I know exactly what I want. I want a lawnmower,’” Anna Clark, Coby’s mother, said. “A trip only lasts for a week, but a lawnmower can last a lifetime of memories.”

Coby has a love for lawnmowers and other large machinery, and when he had the opportunity to get a lawnmower of his own to help his business, he took the opportunity.

Coby went through six rounds of chemotherapy and an August brain surgery. Coby’s tumor markers returned, which meant the cancer was still in his body. Coby then needed high-dose chemotherapy in addition to a stem cell transplant. This was not the end of the treatments for Coby, as he went through six rounds of radiation to complete about 11 months of treatment in December.

Coby runs a lawn care and snow removal business called Clark Bros with his brother Brekken. The business started two years ago and has multiple regular customers in addition to customers that call in for help as needed.

Coby knew he wanted a lawnmower, but was not entirely sure which one to wish for, leading Tri-State Bobcat in Hudson to help draft up the perfect one to fit Coby’s dream. Genentech sponsored the purchase, ultimately making Coby’s dream come true.

“For the past few years, three years, Coby has loved to go to Tri-State Bobcat and sit on their machines,” Anna said. “So it’s just kind of cool that Tri-State Bobcat was the company that helped get it to Coby.”

Around 75 friends and family gathered in DeSanctis Park on May 24, waiting for Coby to arrive to see his surprise lawnmower. The crowd gathered in front of the shiny red mower as it glimmered, waiting to be united with its new owner. Coby arrived and the sea of people began to part, revealing the lawnmower and leaving Coby in shock.

“I wasn’t expecting anything but a picnic,” Coby said. “I got there and it was my Make-A-Wish and I was like flabbergasted, just shocked, speechless.”

The day of the surprise brought different emotions for Coby and Anna. Coby was told there would be a picnic at the park, and that would be the extent of the day. The surprise brought a wave of excitement that left him stunned.

“When he saw the lawnmower, he screamed as loud as you can possibly imagine and ran to his lawnmower, hugged it, crying tears of joy,” Anna said. “He spent the evening learning how to drive it.”

For Anna, the day brought many emotions up until the grand reveal. While treatment was completed in December, Anna did not feel true closure at the time because the family had to wait three months for testing results. It was not until the celebration that Anna truly felt closure.

“I had cried on-and-off throughout the whole day,” Anna said. “It’s been like a moment that I have kind of been waiting for for over a year, just to have that end, that big finale, that big celebration with all of the people that have helped us.”

Anna said the family was surrounded by the people who helped them through the treatment at the celebration, with people that picked their kids up from school, made them meals and checked in on them during the tough times.

Countless hours spent in the hospital, looking through magazines to find the perfect lawnmower, were finally over, and the family could celebrate.

“That dream kept him going in the hospital,” Anna said. “That lawnmower was the end in sight for him. It was what he hoped and wished for after all of [these] difficult treatments and difficult year.”

At the end of the day, it was not just Coby that had his wish become reality.

“My dream to have a healthy son came true,” Anna said.

RIVER FALLS — If you could wish for anything, what would it be? Some people would say money, a new car or an extravagant vacation, but for Coby Clark, a 10-year-old from River Falls, it was the TORO 72530 52” Grandstand Multi-force w/Low Flow lawnmower.

“Lawnmowing to me is the art of cutting grass,” Coby said. “I just love mowing.”

In February 2023, Coby was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor. After the diagnosis, Coby was made aware that he could dream up a wish through Make-A-Wish. Coby wished for new hockey pads and was told to dream bigger before thinking of a trip to Australia.

“An hour later, he was like ‘Nope, I know exactly what I want. I want a lawnmower,’” Anna Clark, Coby’s mother, said. “A trip only lasts for a week, but a lawnmower can last a lifetime of memories.”

Coby has a love for lawnmowers and other large machinery, and when he had the opportunity to get a lawnmower of his own to help his business, he took the opportunity.

Coby went through six rounds of chemotherapy and an August brain surgery. Coby’s tumor markers returned, which meant the cancer was still in his body. Coby then needed high-dose chemotherapy in addition to a stem cell transplant. This was not the end of the treatments for Coby, as he went through six rounds of radiation to complete about 11 months of treatment in December.

Coby runs a lawn care and snow removal business called Clark Bros with his brother Brekken. The business started two years ago and has multiple regular customers in addition to customers that call in for help as needed.

Coby knew he wanted a lawnmower, but was not entirely sure which one to wish for, leading Tri-State Bobcat in Hudson to help draft up the perfect one to fit Coby’s dream. Genentech sponsored the purchase, ultimately making Coby’s dream come true.

“For the past few years, three years, Coby has loved to go to Tri-State Bobcat and sit on their machines,” Anna said. “So it’s just kind of cool that Tri-State Bobcat was the company that helped get it to Coby.”

Around 75 friends and family gathered in DeSanctis Park on May 24, waiting for Coby to arrive to see his surprise lawnmower. The crowd gathered in front of the shiny red mower as it glimmered, waiting to be united with its new owner. Coby arrived and the sea of people began to part, revealing the lawnmower and leaving Coby in shock.

“I wasn’t expecting anything but a picnic,” Coby said. “I got there and it was my Make-A-Wish and I was like flabbergasted, just shocked, speechless.”

The day of the surprise brought different emotions for Coby and Anna. Coby was told there would be a picnic at the park, and that would be the extent of the day. The surprise brought a wave of excitement that left him stunned.

“When he saw the lawnmower, he screamed as loud as you can possibly imagine and ran to his lawnmower, hugged it, crying tears of joy,” Anna said. “He spent the evening learning how to drive it.”

For Anna, the day brought many emotions up until the grand reveal. While treatment was completed in December, Anna did not feel true closure at the time because the family had to wait three months for testing results. It was not until the celebration that Anna truly felt closure.

“I had cried on-and-off throughout the whole day,” Anna said. “It’s been like a moment that I have kind of been waiting for for over a year, just to have that end, that big finale, that big celebration with all of the people that have helped us.”

Anna said the family was surrounded by the people who helped them through the treatment at the celebration, with people that picked their kids up from school, made them meals and checked in on them during the tough times.

Countless hours spent in the hospital, looking through magazines to find the perfect lawnmower, were finally over, and the family could celebrate.

“That dream kept him going in the hospital,” Anna said. “That lawnmower was the end in sight for him. It was what he hoped and wished for after all of [these] difficult treatments and difficult year.”

At the end of the day, it was not just Coby that had his wish become reality.

“My dream to have a healthy son came true,” Anna said.