By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Thunder on the Plains returned to Hays and Municipal Park for its annual car show, which included a special wish reveal for a local girl.
The car show hit the road Friday from Big Creek Crossing, cruising into downtown Hays and ending at the Park. The event featured cars, trucks, motorcycles and tractors from across the region, leading to a live auction on Saturday.
Before the live auction kicked off, 12-year-old Kinley Niernberger of Hays was introduced to the crowd and shared her journey with the Make-A-Wish program.
Kortney Niernberger, Kinley's mother, said her daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor in March 2024 and underwent an eight-hour surgery at Children’s Mercy Hospital, where doctors removed 80% of the tumor.
"They had to leave some behind because of the location," Kortney said. "Kinley got referred to make a wish because she had a really hard time with her age and diagnosis."
Kinley has a grade one Pilocytic astrocytoma located on her brainstem. She continues to have scans every three months and is on a two-year medication cycle.
Since then, she has made a strong recovery, returning to dance and earning a spot on the Hays Middle School cheer team.
"She's always had a smile on her face... It's great that this organization does this for these kids, to give them hope and feel like normal kids for a week," Kortney said.
Kinley lives with her parents and two brothers. Her mom describes her as bubbly, spirited and determined. She loves the color pink, is a big fan of Taylor Swift, enjoys watching "Stranger Things" and playing Roblox.
CeCe Etter, donor relations manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Missouri and Kansas, said over 50 children in Kansas are currently waiting for their wish. Each wish costs an average of $10,000.
"When the community comes together for events like Thunder On The Plains, it directly impacts local families like Kinley's. A wish is not just a moment of hope. It's a lifetime of positive memories that overtake the difficult ones," Etter said.
Etter said without the Hays community's support, Make-A-Wish would not be able to fulfill its mission of granting life-changing wishes to children like Kinley.
You can learn more about the foundation here.
