A 10-year-old boy from Utah has inspired those around him for sleeping in a miniature wooden cabin—that was constructed by him and his family in the backyard—for 100 consecutive nights.
Shortly after school began back, he started struggling with reading. So his teacher took time to understand his interests and gave him a copy of the “Bear Grylls Adventures.” McKay really got hooked on the series and finished reading it in a week. The idea to “survive” in a tiny cabin in his backyard for 100 nights during the winter hatched from there.
McKay’s mother, Jenni, told The Epoch Times that they have a family philosophy of setting goals and accomplishing their dreams.
“My husband and I have a philosophy in our family of ‘Nothing Can Stop Us!’” she said. “Our other saying is, ‘Go and Do!’ If you have a goal, do what it takes to accomplish it.”
Her son, who is “kind, loving and so full of life,” certainly took this to heart, and he set his mind to a goal and went all-in. The family then began to look into how-to-do Youtube videos.
After they purchased wood, family and friends spent four weeks of fall helping McKay construct the little cabin, which incorporated insulation to keep him warm throughout the chilly winter nights.
“This insulation will keep me warmer for long periods of time,” McKay said.
McKay’s first night sleeping in the cabin began on Dec. 21, 2020. On some nights, he endured the chilling 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) in the Rocky Mountain valley, but he powered through.
To keep warm, his family heated the little building before bedtime each night, and he slept with a sleeping bag with two blankets on top.
“We would warm up the shelter with a heater for a few minutes but then we turned all electricity off,” Jenni explained to The Epoch Times. “As a mom, I was worried about the safety of having a heater on throughout the night.”
“McKay truly is an inspiration to all around him,” said Jenni, adding that the family’s faith also played a huge role in goal setting and achieving.
The family said that during the 100 day period, there were a few times they went out of town, but McKay never gave up. He brought a tent, a cot, or just slept outside on the patio.
Dave also expressed pride over his son’s determination.
