I’m a Celebrity winner Georgia Toffolo has helped a seriously ill teen’s bucket list wish to sing to tens of thousands of people come true and go viral.
Brave Jonathon Inkin, 19, sang a version of ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’ which mum Rebecca posted online.
He wanted 20,000 people to see it by the time he turns 20 in June to raise awareness of his condition Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
But he has already revised the target to 200,000 after his music video went viral and has already been seen 33,000 times.
And he has now been given an extra boost in his efforts after receiving a video message sent to him by reality TV star Georgia.
She told him: “Hi Jonathon, it is Toff here. I just wanted to wish you a really, really prosperous 2018. All my love from Toff.”
His mum Rebecca posted the singing video on his behalf and said she was shocked by the response.
It is part of a 20-strong bucket list that Jonathon is determined to complete before he is no longer a teenager.
He also wants to sing with a celebrity, complete a 20-mile trek in his wheelchair, start a blog, host a question and answer session about his condition online, find a celebrity advocate for the condition, do Carpool Karaoke (with James Cordon if possible) and appear on This Morning.
Rebecca, of Callington, Cornwall, said: “He wants to raise awareness and funds. It is still a condition with no cure and is 100% and not everyone is lucky enough to get to his age.
“Care is getting better and people are living longer, but there is not enough funding going into research.
“The condition is unpredictable and the average age is mid-20s.”
Jonathon was diagnosed when he was two after his parents, Rebecca and Howard, became concerned he was not able to walk.
He lost the ability to walk when he was 11 and can no longer lift his arms up to hold a cup of tea and needs a ventilator at night to help him breath.
But he says singing is something that has become something very important to him.
He added: “I love singing. I really started singing in the last couple of years. I think it really helps me.”
Jonathon’s condition, which affects all of his muscles, including the heart and lungs, means he is confined to a wheelchair and has endured a number of operations, including the fitting of metal rods the length of his spine.
Despite enduring pain every day and losing the ability to use his hands he wants to help others who have the condition.
He said: “Even though things can be very tough and painful, and with less ability to do things, you can still hope and if you really put your mind to it you can achieve.
“It doesn’t matter how difficult things are as long as you have that drive. I want to inspire other younger boys who have been given the diagnosis.
“I have had anxiety and stress and felt down, but I want people that have it to feel better. They can still live life to the full.”
