SUBMITTED BY LClem

March 12, 2003 — KISSIMMEE -- Eight-year-old Kenney Roman has been a fan of martial-arts master and movie star Jackie Chan since he was 5. When Kids Wish Network, a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, asked Kenney what he wanted most, it came as no surprise that meeting Chan was at the top of Kenney's list. Kenney, who suffers from spina bifida and hydrocephalus, is a fighter himself. He already has had 34 surgeries and is awaiting one more. His condition forces him to spend most of his time in a wheelchair. He also needs a tube to help him breathe and a tube to relay food into his stomach, but his spirit is indomitable. Kenney's own fighting spirit is exemplified by his hero Chan, whose characters manage to get out of the worst of circumstances with perseverance and martial-arts moves. Kenney wanted to meet Chan so Chan could show him some of his moves. To fulfill Kenney's wish, Kids Wish Network set up a meet-and-greet with Chan in February during a brief stay in Hollywood for the premiere of the new action movie Shanghai Knights. Kenney got to meet Chan at a press conference, and then he and his family rode in a limousine to the movie premiere at the historic El Capitan theater in Hollywood. During the meet-and-greet, Chan demonstrated a quick hand move for Kenney, and Kenney got a laugh from Chan when he told him he was going to name his teddy bear after him. "Kenney was thrilled . . . you could tell because his jaw dropped when he finally met Chan in person," said Madeline Robinson, wish department manager at Kids Wish Network, who accompanied Kenny and his family on the trip. The event turned out to be more than a dream come true for Kenney, who not only got to talk to his hero at length, but who also had his own 15 minutes of fame upon entering the premiere. There, Kenney donned sunglasses, waved to screaming fans from the roof of the limo, and rolled down the red carpet like a star amid the flash of cameras and hordes of onlookers. An unexpected surprise came after the premiere when Chan caught up with Kenney to ask him if he liked the movie and to shake his hand one more time.