DETROIT (WXYZ) — Belle Isle's air was filled with color today as the 3rd annual Detroit Kite Festival brought kite performers, professional kite flyers and local families together.
The Detroit Institute of Arts was there to teach kite building and a very special group of people were there to decorate their own flying work of art.
The Kite Festival on Belle Isle is kicking off!! @wxyzdetroit #SundayFunday #Detroit pic.twitter.com/zFCGbmRe2c
— Jennifer Ann Wilson (@JennaWils) July 14, 2019
The PBS documentary "Those on the Front Lines of Cancer" used the kite festival as a backdrop to shoot the final shot of their film. Producers invited the families they had interviewed for the documentary to be a part of it.
The Redmon Family brought their five kids to Belle Isle, 4-year-old Pryce is their youngest. He has stage 4 neuroblastoma.
"We came out here to decorate kites and stuff for Pryce," says dad Ben Redmon.
On this clear blue-skied day, there was just enough wind to lift kites and spirits up. The beauty in the sky, a welcome reprieve from the battle some face on the ground.
"Talking, sometimes is a little hard for me," says Stanley Wallace. He had cancer in his jaw.
His granddaughter was diagnosed three months after he was – the two fought cancer at the same time.
"Yeah, we’re known as partners in crime," says 12-year-old Haley Wallace.
She was only 8 years old when she was diagnosed with cancer in her eye.
Four years later, Haley is cancer free. She won her battle and today she decorated and flew a kite to remember those who fought beside her.
"I wrote names of those who helped me and my four friends who passed away because of cancer," says Haley.
These families and many others flying kites today will be featured in a documentary "Those on the Front Lines of Cancer" it will air on PBS in October 2019.
