TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Jesus and DeAun Nieto lost their son, Noah, to cancer before he had the chance to graduate high school.
"He was like the glue that bonded us all together. I'm very thankful that I got to spend 18 years with him, and those are the best years of my life," says Jesus Nieto.
A fundraiser idea came from Jami Salyers, Vice President of Operations for Arby's in Southern Arizona, and Noah's friends started in 2019.
"I didn't personally know Noah, but he was a very caring, giving person who really put others first, and this allows his memory to stay alive, and allows us to be a legacy, and also for him to keep helping people even when he's not here," says Salyers.
After Noah passed, the fundraisers didn't come back, until Salyers heard about Johnson.
"I was running the champ 5k for Candlelighters up in Tempe running, and there was a fundraiser tied to it. So I am terrible at raising funds myself, so I posted it on Facebook, and Jamie saw it," Angel Stubblefield, Sierra's mom.
Last year's fundraiser honored Johnson, who was on her third battle with cancer.
"It's hard to put words sometimes, like surviving three times, especially when other people don't make it once. It's kind of a lot sometimes, but I'm still here," says Johnson.
And she says, the support in the community really helped her.
"It's an amazing feeling to know that there's just so many people. Who care about you and care about everyone else. The communities. Community is amazing," says Johnson.
This year, the second annual Noah Nieto fundraiser is aiming to raise more money than last year for Candlelighters, a nonprofit that supports families battling childhood cancer.
"I just want to make it bigger and better and get his name out there even more," says DeAun Nieto.
On Saturday, from 10 am to 10 pm, Arby's across the Tucson area will donate 25% of sales to Candlelighters.
There is also a silent auction active now, through March 1st.
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Blake Phillips is a reporter for KGUN 9. Originally from St. Louis, Mo., Blake grew up in Sierra Vista. During his college tenure at the Missouri School of Journalism, Blake worked for the NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia. He is excited to return to a place he calls home and give back to the community in which he grew up. Share your story ideas and important issues with Blake by emailing blake.phillips@kgun9.com.
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