A KC kid with rare illness can’t trick-or-treat. You can bring Halloween to him
A young boy battling a rare disease saw the Kansas City community come together by the thousands, rallying around his cause for a massive parade earlier this month.
Now, the community is getting a second chance to show its support. Tucker Langford will be posted up for a reverse Trick-or-Treat event at his home Friday and Saturday, where people are asked to dress up in costumes and bring some of his favorite treats.
Tucker, 3, is unable to participate in Halloween like most boys his age. His mom, Chandler Langford said he has been in high spirits despite being on at-home hospice care.
He’s battling a rare condition called recessive dystrophic epidermolysis fallosa, also known as “butterfly skin.” The condition causes fragile, blistering skin.
The disease, coupled with a heart condition, has placed him in full-time care. A doctor recently told his family he may only have weeks or months to live.
But Tucker still isn’t fully aware of what that means, his mom said in a phone call after picking up his medication Friday afternoon.
“We will have Tucker up by the front door and kind of keep him inside, so he stays warm,” Chandler Langford said. “But we will have the screen open so people can say hi to him, and he can see everyone that comes up on the front porch.”
Despite some hard days, Tucker has a lot of good days, Chandler Langford said. He has been in high spirits, she said, and he recently enjoyed his first visit to Chuck E Cheese.
This weekend, the family is once again opening their story and lives to the public, asking for people to help make Tucker’s Halloween special.
From 5-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, people can come by their home at the corner of 43rd Terrace and Topping Avenue in Kansas City.
For those planning to come, Tucker’s top requests are Swedish Fish, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Chicken-in-a-Biskit crackers, Cheetos and Sprite, his mom said.
Tucker keeps fighting
Chandler Langford said the family is overwhelmed by the amount of support they’ve received. They didn’t think interest the Trick or Treat event would grow as it has, Chandler Langford said.
In the past, Tucker has dressed up as a bear while his mom dressed as Little Red Riding Hood. The year after that, he was Bumblebee, a character from “Transformers.”
This year, the Langfords are dressing up together as characters from one of Tucker’s favorite shows, Paw Patrol.
“He’s had a lot of really good days,” Chandler Langford said. “We got news that his lab work came back looking really good. So everything’s in the right direction where it needs to be.”
“He’s had so much energy lately where he’s just wanting to play and be outside and spend time with his family,” she said.
Saralyn Hayes, a cousin of Chandler Langford, said in a text Friday that, “The love and support the family has felt has been incredible.”
“He’s been fighting, and that’s why he’s called Tucker tough,” Chandler Langford said. “He’s showing everyone how strong he is.”
This story was originally published October 31, 2025 at 3:14 PM.
