Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Military

Birthday Surprise: Boy Becomes Navy SEAL For A Day (Video)

Mason Rudder, 6-year-old Navy SEAL

Mason Rudder is a six-year-old boy from Kansas City, Mo., who can't be as active as other kids his age because of a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder called Escobar syndrome.

He has a limited range of motion, and weighs just 32 pounds. But despite being dealt a rough hand at birth, Mason has no doubt about what he wants to be when he grows up - a Navy SEAL.

For his birthday, Mason's parents decided he shouldn't have to wait for adulthood for his dream to come true.

Advertisement

Mason's dad, George, contacted a company called Asymmetric Solutions, and the folks there put on a “Navy SEAL for a Day” event - just for Mason.

Navy SEAL veteran Jared Ogden, operations manager at Asymmetric Solutions, spent the day with Mason. He told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

“Mason’s got the heart of a lion, and with that heart and attitude, he’s gonna go far.”

You'll find video of Mason's day as a SEAL at the top of this post.