Candy-Collecting Youth Does a Sweet Deed

Simi Valley mom seeks kid with rubber scar and big heart.

Susan Wagner of Abilene Street is looking for the trick-or-treater who, after seeing her young son at home in a wheelchair on Halloween night, came back and offered to share his candy with the boy.

Matthew Wagner, 5, has a brain stem tumor and sometimes uses a wheelchair. He went trick-or-treating early Halloween evening, then returned home to help pass out candy at the door.

About 7 p.m., Susan Wagner said, a group of boys who appeared to be about 10 to 12 years old stopped by the house, and Matthew gave them candy. Then, perhaps half an hour later, one of the boys came back.

This time, Matthew’s father, Rick, answered the door. The boy seemed genuinely moved by seeing Matthew earlier.

“It’s not fair that he doesn’t get to go out trick-or-treating like me and my friends, and I want to offer him my candy,” the boy told Matthew’s father.

“We were really moved that he would do this,” Susan said.

Rick explained that Matthew had gone out earlier in the evening, and the boy, who was wearing a rubber scar on his forehead as part of his costume, left without giving his name.

Susan hopes he will stop by their house again so the family can thank him. They would also like to thank his parents, if possible.

“That influence has to come from somewhere,” Susan said.