William Martel is a 13-year-old from King William, Virginia. On January 5, 2026, William was diagnosed with a rare germ cell tumor in his brain. The inoperable tumor, approximately the size of a baseball, wrapped around critical structures including his carotid arteries, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, and optic nerves, causing blindness in his left eye, worsening hearing loss, and possibly contributing to the major muscular issues in his legs and feet that required reconstructive surgery on both feet in 2023. William has endured countless hospital admissions, multiple rounds of chemotherapy, frequent blood and platelet transfusions, a life-threatening blood infection that resulted in emergency surgery to remove his port and extensive treatment in the hospital, numerous doctor visits and extended hospital stays. He is currently receiving specialized pencil beam proton radiation treatments in Washington, DC. Throughout this journey, William’s parents, Andy and Kristi, have faced tremendous challenges financially, logistically and emotionally with balancing his care with work and family responsibilities. Despite these hardships, the Martel family continues to lean on their faith and remains grateful for the support they have received throughout William’s journey.