In September, while planning a fall baseball tournament, 16-year-old Hayden, a catcher, began experiencing hip pain. Despite ongoing soreness from travel and the rigors of high school baseball, he pushed through the pain. During a tournament game, he jumped to block a pitch and felt his hip pop. Unable to walk, he needed assistance back to the car. He said, “After seeing a doctor, I learned I had a broken hip—a rare injury for my age. An MRI led to a referral to an oncologist, who suspected bone cancer.
A week after his injury, a bone biopsy confirmed that Hayden had Ewing’s Sarcoma in his upper left femur. “When my dad told me I had cancer, I found comfort in my faith, believing God had this and would get me through it.” Four weeks after the injury, he began aggressive chemotherapy. Over the next 14 weeks, he underwent five different types of chemotherapy, including a partial hip replacement. Hayden explained, “The top 4 to 6 inches of my femur, including the ball, is all metal-titanium, with a rod that runs into the rest of my femur to hold it in place.” After that, he continued with 14 more weeks of chemotherapy. He added, “Seeing other kids in the hospital facing the same challenges as me was really encouraging for support. Being able to talk with someone who understood what I was experiencing made a huge difference.”
Hayden’s father, Adam, was contacted by Bill Cothron, a board member of the United Special Sportsman Alliance, to see if his son would be interested in a free hunting trip. Hayden said, “When my dad told me about the hunt, I was really excited! I chose a red stag because I have hunted whitetail deer, and it would be a cool experience to do something that most people never get to do.”
Knowing he had a trophy hunt on the horizon made Hayden’s time in the hospital more bearable. He said, “After my treatments ended and I got my final scan, I was officially cancer-free—and I rang the gong!”
On January 20, 2025, around lunchtime, Hayden, Adam, and Bob Samson arrived at Hidden Oaks Ranch in Gonzales, Texas. The owner, Tommy Kidd, greeted them warmly and led them on a tour of the property, which featured slightly rolling hills dotted with post oak trees draped in dense foliage. As Tommy pointed out, the only green in the pasture came from clusters of Prickly Pear and Pencil Cactus scattered across the landscape. He then explained what they could expect during Hayden’s hunt the following day.
The next morning, before sunrise, they returned to the ranch, anticipation buzzing in the air. Tommy led them to an eight-sided tower blind, perched six feet above the ground and outfitted with spacious swivel chairs. Hayden and Bob settled into the front seats, while Adam took his place in the back. As the early light crept across the landscape, they spotted Scimitar Oryx, fallow deer, and a young blackbuck. Several red deer drifted in, but most were hinds, fawns, along with only two small stags.
“By 10:00 a.m., we still hadn’t seen a mature red stag I could take. That’s when Tommy came to get us. We climbed into his Polaris Ranger, as he flipped up the front window and announced we were switching to safari-style hunting.”
Tommy was driving, with Hayden in the front passenger seat and Adam and Bob in the back. They rode through dense brush, slowly navigating the narrow paths Tommy had cut through the property. Every so often, they’d turn down a different trail and then stop, shutting off the side-by-side to quietly wait and watch for the deer to cross. Hayden added, “But the red stags never seemed to stop in the open—they always moved across the road too quickly for me to get a clear shot.”
They decided to move to another part of the ranch, and soon they caught sight of a massive herd of nearly a hundred hinds and stags. Hayden was completely awestruck by the sheer number of deer. Adam recalled, “The stags would bunch together in a big group, making it impossible for him to get a clear shot. So we kept circling, trying to find another group. After several attempts, Tommy suggested they stay in the Ranger and wait—the deer would eventually cross the road.”
Just then, the tree line began to rustle, and a magnificent stag emerged, towering over the rest of the herd with a heavy, impressive rack of antlers. Bob handed Hayden his field bag and positioned it on the window as a steady rest. With a guiding hand, his dad said, “Take your time, Hayden. Just take your time. He will turn.”
Hayden said, “Then the stag stopped, although he wasn’t completely broadside—he was the only one standing somewhat out in the open. Other deer were nearby, but the moment felt both overwhelming and incredibly exciting. I was a little nervous with three adults watching me, and I wanted to ensure I didn’t injure the animal or send it running off. At 120 yards, it was a nerve-wracking shot, but I focused and hit him high in the top right shoulder. He dropped right there.” Hayden successfully landed a red stag sporting a 3X4 frame and impressive 7X6 points, including the crown tines—an exhilarating highlight in his eagerly anticipated hunt.
Hayden was filled with excitement as he celebrated with high-fives all around. Despite having undergone hip surgery, he quickly hopped out of the Ranger to see the stag he had just harvested. After capturing the moment with pictures, he hugged everyone tightly. Adam reflected, “I felt thankful that there are people out there who would do something like this for a child. It restores hope in humanity. No matter how bad the world seems, there are a lot of good people.”
“Life is different now,” Hayden shared. “Every day, I wake up feeling happier and grateful just to be here. Before all this, I never would have said I was happy to go to school. But after missing an entire year—begging to attend a basketball game or see my friends—I can honestly say I never want to miss a day of school again. Being isolated for so long made me realize how lonely it can be to be away from people. Now, I look at life differently; every day, I try to find something good in it. You’re not happy that it happened, but you can be grateful for how it changed your life for the better.”
Hayden continued, “I’ve always wanted to work in the medical field—initially, I considered becoming a physical therapist or something similar. But after my cancer diagnosis at 16, my perspective changed completely. Now, I want to help other kids who are going through the same thing. My goal is to become a pediatric hematology-oncology doctor, so I can support children with cancer and show them they’re not alone. I want to be there for them, helping them through their toughest days, and serve as a reminder that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. Kids can make it through this.”
A heartfelt thank you goes to Tommy and Sharon Kidd, the owners of Hidden Oaks Ranch, for generously donating Hayden’s unforgettable hunt. We also extend our gratitude to Bob Samson, D. Price, Outback Taxidermy, and McKenzie Taxidermy Supply for their valuable support. Congratulations to Hayden on his trophy red stag, marking the beginning of a lifetime filled with cherished memories. God bless!