Atlantas Lil Nas X joined Berts Big Adventure Saturday night to sing and entertain the 13 chronic and terminally ill kids at a Disney hotel Saturday night.

TheOld Town Road singer also popped into a wedding in the same hotel and got some TMZ love.

Wouldnt ya know thats the thing that gets publicity, mused Bert Weiss by text Sunday morning.Lol. He was actually in our green room ready to perform for the kids. He had a few extra minutes and popped into their wedding before he performed.

Weiss said his group simply asked Lil Nas X for his availability and was pleasantly surprised he said yes.

The Berts Big Adventure social media team wrote:Lil Nas X surprised us at our dance party! The kiddos promptly lost their minds, and everyone was on their feet and singing along while the rapper performed his record-breaking hit, Old Town Road. He was so kind and thoughtful arriving with an autographed hat for each kiddo to wear during his performance. In addition, he graciously posed for so many photos and commemorated the evening by having the Berts Big Adventure kiddos and siblings sign his hat too! It was an experience to last a lifetime!

This is just one more feather in the cap for Weiss organization, which he started soon after he joined Q100 in 2001.

Inspired by his mentorKidd Kraddock, the morning radio host brings the kids to Disney World for a whirlwind trip. This year, he was able to bring in 13 families from around the country.

It changes every year because the families are different, Weiss said.

Some received bonus gifts as well. BBA is paying for a stepdad to adopt his four-year-old child. They are giving a child VIP treatment at a Falcons game in a $6,000 suite. They also introduced the stem cell donor who saved a kids life.

Bethany and George Van Winkle of Cumming have a nine-year-old Sam with Downs Syndrome and a congenital heart defect. Sam has had two surgeries and appears to be on his way to a healthy life.

The family was saving money for a Disney trip but then Bethany had breast cancer and all the savings disappeared. (She is in remission). Berts Big Adventure solved that problem and gave Bethany and George a bonus trip to the Bahamas as well.

This Disney trip will enable us to be present, Bethany said.We are always worrying about hours ahead, weeks ahead, about money. Now we have a place to stay, the itinerary isset up for us. There are two doctors on call and a wheelchair for him if he needs it.

The organization also holds events and programs year around for 200 alum families featuring reunion gatheringsand a Fairy Godmother program where volunteers visit kids who are in hospitals.

For many years, Weiss has had a salaried full-time executive director Molly Darby and a raft of loyal sponsors such as Carters, Moes and Jersey Mikes. Endeavor Air flies the kids gratis to Orlando.

The most recent 990 available on GuideStar for Berts Big Adventure shows his organization raised $935,661 in 2017, up from $811,469 a year earlier. Based on the financials, it appears to be a very healthy organization.

Here are some more photos from the kickoff party from both the Hilton Airport and the hangar where the Endeavor plane departed.

Support real journalism. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today. See offers.

Your subscription to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution funds in-depth reporting and investigations that keep you informed. Thank you for supporting real journalism.

Rodney Ho

Rodney Ho covers radio and television for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Read the original here:
Lil Nas X surprises the kids at Berts Big Adventure 2020 - Atlanta Journal Constitution