first lady michelle obama read to children in washington, d.c. and a creature were stirring. [ laughter ] >> this is exactly what he does at home. he tries.... >> that creature is bo the obama family dog. she read the night before christmas to the children. that is it for this edition. for all of us here, i'm dan ashley. merry christmas. i hope you have had a wonderful day with your family and hope to see you again at 11:00 tonight. good night.

my heart starts beating fast and i don't feel good. >> because i have one arm. >> i was coming here. >> nice job, well done. >> something remarkable is happening here in the bay area and the beautiful rolling hills and vineyards of livermore. it's camp arroyo. >> abc7 is proud to bring you the stories of some incredibly courageous people battling life-threatening diseases. in our special program called i just like me."

♪ >> it's amazing to be here with all these kids. it's exciting and reminds me what i need to do. >> the taylor family foundation brings kids together like these through camp arroyo. >> thank you fay legislator family foundation! >> they partnered with the east bay regional park district in 1997 to build this state of the art green campsite to host free camps for children and teens dealing everything from hiv-aids to asthma to autism and loss of loved ones. >> i'm here because i have a heart condition. >> it was on the left side of her brain.

>> i was born with one arm. we don't really know why. >> my father and pie grandfather died. my father died of a heart attack. >> kids that come here with all these hard experiences at home, they get to play with kids and meet with other kids just like them. >> it's so much fun. i always talk about how usually the last day the girls are going home and they are going to miss their friends. but they are so tired because they stay up too late and they talk about everything about hard to eat. i can't go for a i can't go on the day. what do you think when you pass away from this disease. they share these commonalties that give them, i want to say a sense of peace and give them a

feeling they are just not alone. >> outside the camp i know no one else that has a heart problem or anything wrong with them. so it's really special to me because i get to be with people that understand what it's like. >> whenever we can share stuff then some people know exactly how we felt. so that just makes me feel good that other people have the same experience. >> that was a reminder, i just want to be here and give it my all. this camp is only five days long but all the things we have here and all the fun. >> sometimes kids start counting fingers and it's important to have the kids recognize.

not only other kids with other things like that but there are hand differences just like them. >> they show their scars. one girl, says, oh, yeah, i have that, too. we have exactly the same things. >> they come here and see for the first time, you have the same scars as i do. i'll never forget the first time two little seven-year-olds took their shirt off. one of them reached over and touched it because they never seen it on another person. >> my goodness. >> it was just tear-jerker but it was just so powerful what that one moment was for that child to open their eyes and say oh, there is someone like me. it changes their attitude. it changes their self-confidence and everything changes. >> it gives them strength.

>> i get to be here. here it's like no one can make fun of you. >> this is where kids can do what they want and not be afraid of being judged or being critical. >> maybe i can't run but i can do other things and play basketball. >> when i was six years old i was diagnosed with a lung condition w called pulmonary hypertension. i've been on an i.v. pump. >> the spirit of kids when they are hurting. there is fierceness about living. it's upbeat. this is going to be good. we're going to be okay. >> you've had four open heart surgeries and he suffered a stroke. he is just bag kid trying to

understand his disease and what his limitations are. >> my condition is known as half of a heart. i wasn't able to circulated blood through my lungs or to my body. >> he remembers feeling different. so for a period he was feeling because of his scar on his chest not being able to keep up with his classmates. >> he was not expected to live but now he is going off to a college to be an rn in pediatrics. it's amazing. because he did make it and he is you is of a mentor to those kids. >> it's an opportunity for growth and everyone to look up to you. it's an amazing growing experience for me. >> the things i love when these kids come to camp and they see older kids. they know they are going to survive. they know there is hope.

it is not all about their disease anymore. it's about being a which would and playing and having fun and meeting other kids just like them. meeting older kids that are in college. i'm going to go to college no matter how critical i am. >> it the things you can do, not that you can't do. >> cheryl: these girls fight food issues every day but not at camp arroyo. meet other kids like them when our special continues and learn how the camp all begin thanks to the taylor family foundation. >> they started out of their backyard and now have a massive beautiful campsite where they can bring kids from all over

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it's really nice. everybody else has the same diseases. ♪ >> when you are in the hospital, whatever is going on with you, the camp is there for you even throughout the year. even it's something to look forward to, these five days you can be normal. >> you don't have to feel different there. i feel like i'm in my own world. >> taylor foundation has helped more than 35,000 children have fun! build confidence, break down stigmas. >> what do you tell people when

they ask you about it. >> and make new friends so that each can say there are others -- just like me. >> northern california children didn't have any resources. >> barry and elaine taylor started the foundation in 1990 to help children living with hiv and aids. >> from there it went to, the family needs strollers and bart tickets. oh, my gosh, in the summer they only get to hang out but they have nothing going on. it was like we need to put something together. >> cheryl: that is exactly what they did. in 1997 they started building camp arroyo. >> the good things, it means there is more room for other

kids. >> cheryl: by the time they opened in 2000. taylor family foundation decided to open it up to all children battling life-threatening conditions for free. >> when they first showed me the property back in the '90s, there was nothing? >> this was a big dirt hill. it was a tremendous amount to think it could happen. >> look at this. it played out. >> it's so much better than i thought. >> cheryl: horseback riding, swimming, smores by the campfires. they have all the usual summer camp activities but it's the campers that make this place so very special. >> taylor family foundation take birthdays very seriously. we celebrate all of you because you are all that important to us.

one, two, three --, ♪ happy birthday to you ♪ ♪ happy birthday to you [ applause ] >> birthdays means a sweet and delicious treat but to kids at the camp it could be a trip to the hospital. >> it doesn't allow me to eat gluten or meat. i found it i had a celiac. if i go to a party and they have cake, i usually have to bring my own donut and cake and cupcakes. everybody else is having their big donuts with filling and everything, i have this little one. >> that cake was one of best cakes i ever had. >> this cake is 10.5. >> it's wonderful to see them on their face, some of them wind up

crying and it's pretty exciting to watch. >> you look at this. >> you know. when i come out here on a daily basis, oh, yeah we have a camp. don't worry. i take someone on a tour and i watch their eyes grow. they say, how did you do this? people think i did it. i didn't do it. i took a lot. >> one of the things people don't realize you have a lot of doctors and nurses that volunteer their time to be here. >> what did i say last time. what did they sound like? like horses, remember that?

>> the kind of compassion that happens at the camp that doctors don't give anywhere else, they do it all free. >> i feel so lucky. i get to hang out with the kids. to go out and see them swimming or going up to the rock wall, i know what they really can do. >> being here as a camper and not a doctor, it must be amazing? >> it's really fun. it's really very cool to look around and see all the kids and counselors, to see them really empowered and being an example for other families. >> it's really cool. >> to become counselors and take care of other kids, too. >> the counselors have the same type of differences they have, so we are a able to see them. they are in college or starting

a new job. you kind of see for our kids how it translates later in life. >> to talk with other families and not feeling that we're alone. that is huge for us, too. >> they go through life with a sword over their heads, knowing not how they are going to live or next day something terrible is going to happen. it's very challenging and stressful and affects the entire family. >> i never imagined this. it was more about the kids needed a place where they could fit in and say, you are just like me. you are the same thing. there is nothing wrong with me and nothing wrong with you. >> that is the gift the day lar foundation changes their life. >> one generous gift from a celebrity make thousands connect. we'llf @

360 days, i look forward to five days they get to go. i definitely wanted to make it. >> i want to go down in history as, whoa, look what you did. i want to go down to history, all those kids that were helped. >> you were sitting in the lobby behind a newspaper, tell me what you want to do next? i said i really want to do this,

know no you don't, you want to build a bocce court. >> here is the reason, one of the best reasons it's an ice breaker. it gets people to know each other. all you need to do is roll a ball. >> children mix and mingle immediately. they are so isolated. you get them out here. you let them play and let them have some laughs and let them envelope each other and then they become the resources for each other. this bocce court has been an ice breaker and great team building thing. we're all learning how to take care of better and how to give each other. >> they love the camping and

love hearing about somebody, they have autism and they don't noe thousand deal with it. and we can put them together with another family who has done it with such a sense of pride for their child. it's about helping people. >> cheryl: you have an incredible person who is working alongside you? >> i do. they are like the executive director. i think what i love most about her, she gets it. she is great business executive and she is great manager of people. she uses her heart to guide her to make it happen. if that was your child what would you do. if that was your mom. if that was your family. >> cheryl: you sound like peas in a pod.

>> yes. she says yes to anything and i figure out how we are going to pull it off. >> when it comes to kids, all we want to do is say yes. when it comes to the family all we want to do is say yes. we have to work for it and work on it. as a group that is what we do good. we really are good at building relationships and finding the right resources and connecting the families to what they need. >> i don't think they ever told me know about anything. let's think about that. how can we make that happen? every single person through the foundation. >> we are looking to our community what else we can help. what is going on? not just in the tri-valley but our whole range is northern california. we cast a wide net, there is

still so many people that don't know what we do. >> we didn't even know about camp arroyo. we have been bay area residents for 18 years. it was all here all the time and we didn't know about it. >> there are families that need us. i wanted them to know. i can really support their needs. >> to know your community is there and taylor foundation is out to help you. that is what we need. >> this is kind of help that lasts and is powerful for family and kids to be here. >> cheryl: that lasting effort takes a lot of work and a lot of heart and lot of money. >> kids that have very difficult time getting away and getting to summer camp and figure out a way. they haven't had that experience. >> 49er quarterback steve young talks about the importance of the taylor family

wanted to be associated, but she got to show he what they are doing and it's really cool.

there is a labor of love. when you are all in, it's kind of neat. hall of famer, steve young is one of many celebrities in the bay area committed to helping the taylor family foundation and camp arroyo. >> is this a dream come true? >> it is a dream come true. when we started with all those kids and social programs and clinical programs, never for a moment this will be a lifelong endeavor. this was a lot of work and forever but forever is a good thing when you have kids that need it. camp is going on the 14th year and things need to be repaired and restored. we need to be there to help service them when they have other needs outside of camp. taylor family foundation is synonymous with camp arroyo.

>> cheryl: but you provide other services? >> there are families that use transportation and could use help with their rent because of medical bills. or we have somebody that needs help with college to get they will in the door. >> we cover a lot of funerals. we have done it since date we started. >> we probably have 3,000 kids through camp. we have probably helped more now closer to 80,000 families in the bay area. >> cheryl: 80,000 families, wow! >> taking all the resources of family and based on all the money and kids can have this to come to. they are not even -- enough to pay for them to come. i'm very thankful to the taylor family foundation.

>> by giving to the taylor family foundation, they allow those things that others might take for granted. very special things. >> it's all about the children here. it costs a lot to keep this rolling and to provide the camp for these kids that have no opportunity to do anything like this. >> it costs a million dollars every year. >> it doesn't cost a million dollars this year. >> i'm continually to be amazed. >> i hope that other families that have special needs to have an experience like this. it needs to be available to other families. >> to see the children and see what a difference it makesing in the lives of these children and families. >> it really is an amazing experience. >> i wish we had a taylor family foundation everywhere. the work they do is very real and gratifying to know.

elaine was showing me pictures 20 years ago. i love that feeling i was associated with such a good group of people. >> it's the army of people behind me of donors and generous people and volunteers and counselors and community-wide from politicians to fire departments and our partners. nothing would happen without them. what they can expect will be dazzled by how magical this facility is, how many people have come through this facility. you can do it. you can do it. you can feel the joy had a happens. and the hope. at the end of the day it's giving the kids hope that they will grow up and they will have a good life. ♪ ♪