our why

Our Story: fueling the fight towards recovery

It all began with a patient named Kye, who was in the final stages of his battle with cancer. During a routine office visit, Danielle Kuban-Johnston, a cancer survivor and previously a Nurse Practitioner in Pediatric Oncology at Texas Children’s Hospital and founder of Dream Rydes, asked Kye what her dream day in Houston would be like. Kye’s response was heartfelt and simple: he wanted to experience the thrill of riding in a Lamborghini – “It would be so cool to ride in a fast car like a Lamborghini because my dad has a truck and it doesn’t go fast!“, said Kye. Patients face a lot of struggles beyond their physical and mental health; Danielle noticed many patients would miss their medical appointment due to the family’s financial hardship and a lack of steady reliable transportation assistance.

The cost to park at the medical center is $19 per day. With patients similar to Kye, children need to visit the hospital on a daily and weekly basis for several months to years until recovery. Although Houston has the Metro public transportation system, many small children cannot ride in an immunocompromised state, so parents resort to Medicaid; however, it is not always ideal with stringent pick-up times and family-riding policies. Every week, some of Danielle’s patients would miss their lifesaving appointments from a lack of reliable transportation.

As fate would have it, a friend of Danielle’s happened to be visiting the Texas Children’s Cancer Center that very day. This friend owned a red Lamborghini and was in the process of delivering toys to the children at the hospital during the holiday season. The stars aligned perfectly, and within hours, Kye was experiencing the joy of his dream ride. Seeing the sheer delight and sparkle in Kye’s eyes as he rode in the Lamborghini was his “Dream Ryde”. Soon after, Kye passed away. As they joined Kye’s family’s grief, both Danielle and her friend with a Lamborghini, Chris Mastrangelo, were compelled to cofound Dream Rydes. 

Moments of joy could make a significant difference in the lives of children and their families battling heartbreaking hardships. Dream Rydes offers children and families battling cancer a full day of exhilarating excitement and eye-opening adventure. Our program allows children to select their “Dream Ryde” – be it a luxury car, a thrilling boat, or a helicopter – and enjoy a day of unforgettable experiences. The moment is possible with the partnership of local car clubs and captured with professional videography and photography to keep these memories forever as keepsakes for the families.

Dream Rydes offers a day filled with joy to forget about the challenges and brings moments of pure happiness. Through our programs, we strive to make a meaningful difference, fueling transportation assistance support and bringing the thrill of a “Ryde of a lifetime”!