PHILADELPHIA (KOLN) — 5-year-old Aiyla Schonlau, whom her family calls Bean, has an inoperable tumor on her brain stem, but you wouldn’t know it by seeing her.

“She just constantly finds moments of joy. And it’s truly amazing,” said Drew Schonlau, Bean’s father.

The Schonlau family is from Denver, but they can be found at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Bean is receiving treatment. Drew flies back every other week with their son while Nicole stays at the Ronald McDonald House with Bean.

“I was supposed to go back this past week, and I just told him ‘I can’t do it. I want to stay here with our daughter. She needs her mom,’” Nicole Schonlau said. “And he hasn’t made me feel guilty for feeling that way.”

Through this journey, one thing has united the family: Drew’s love of

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