One year ago Jonathan Homberg was playing high school football, had straight A's in his special education program and had more girlfriends than his older brother.
Two cancerous brain tumors later, 16-year-old Jonathan hadn't smiled in more than four months - until his parents told him about Serena's Song.
Serena's Song, the world's first wheelchair-accessible hot-air balloon, hosted tethered rides for disabled children and their families Friday and Saturday at Tempe's Kiwanis Park.
"I think this opportunity is excellent," said Lisa Homberg, Jonathan's mother. "But what's important is that he thinks it's excellent too. That's really good for him right now."
Lisa Homberg, a Glendale resident, describes her son as her "hero," and said he's expected to make a slow recovery over the next year.
"Being out at the park is really good for him," Lisa Homberg said. "This is the first time he's been out of the house since he left the hospital in August."
Gary Waldman, creator of Serena's Song, has made it his mission to help families like the Hombergs.
"Ballooning isn't just something any parents can give their kids," Waldman said. "And these parents probably thought it was totally impossible."
Waldman said he was inspired to create the wheelchair-accessible balloon in 1985 by his daughter Serena, who was only 2 years old.
Serena, who suffers from cerebral palsy, laughed and smiled for the first time as her father flew her in a friend's balloon, he said. Her reaction brought the 15 ground crew members to tears.
"When the balloon landed, every single one of them was crying," Waldman said "I knew that this was magic, and we had to figure out how to do this for everyone."
Waldman worked with pilot and balloon manufacturer Phil Gray to make the balloon, which has a door that makes it easier for wheelchairs to board.
Waldman named the balloon Serena's Song, because Serena, now 23, has no voice.
Since its first take off in 1991, Serena's Song has flown more than 15,000 passengers, and is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, Waldman said.
Gray and Waldman are both Iowa residents in their 60s, and now spend six months a year offering free flights across the country to children like Alma Galindo, of Chandler.
The 7-year-old Alma said she was nervous to fly, but became excited as she watched the 100-foot-long balloon inflate.
Her mother, Eliana Pereira, was worried about how her daughter would react, but said the flight went fine.
"[Alma] was a little concerned about the noise, but it was a great sensation going up and she was really happy," she said.
Pereira said she heard about Serena's Song from a friend at the Chandler Community Center.
"We prayed that she would be able to come out here today," Pereira said.
A lot of families come just to see if it's true that their disabled children can fly, Waldman said.
Most children are excited to fly, Waldman said, but few were as visibly excited as Jesse Ortega, of Phoenix.
Leaning forward in his wheelchair, Jesse kicked his feet and curled his fingers, waiting to be the day's first passenger.
His father, Jesse Ortega Sr. had to cover the 7-year-old's ears from the noise during the flight, but that didn't stop Jesse, who has a developmental disability, from leaving the balloon's basket with a smile.
"He's our miracle," said Jesse's mother, Jennifer Ortega. "We knew he would want to come because he always gets excited when we see them in the sky."
Serena's Song has visited the Phoenix area five times, Gray said.
"Not only does it bring joy to people who especially need it, it brings out awareness of special-needs people," he said.
Gray said increasing gas and propane prices have made travel and flight costly, but Veolia Transportation sponsors Serena's Song.
"We give them the vans and the trailer," said Yvon Davis with Veolia human resources. "It's a great thing for us to be able to do."
Waldman said the trailer is full of memories, and includes a map marking everywhere Serena's Song has flown.
The back of the trailer door is covered in countless photos of happy children.
After scanning them briefly, Waldman took a deep breath, pointed to one and said, "This is my little girl."
Then he turned toward the balloon, and said with a smile, "... and this has been her gift to the nation for the last 20 years."
Reach the reporter at: meghan.keck@asu.edu.
