12-year-old Conway volunteer honored by Bush on president’s Arkansas visit

Associated Press President Bush meets with U.S.A. Freedom Corp volunteer Robbie Powell after arriving at Adams Field on Tuesday in Little Rock. Powell gave the president a bracelet in memory of his friend Ben Patterson who passed away after being diagnosed with neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation.

LITTLE ROCK—President Bush followed the tradition of Barack Obama when he greeted a 12-year-old boy while on a swing through Arkansas—he gave him a fist-bump.

Bush offered the greeting that has become an informal trademark of the likely Democrat presidential nominee after honoring Robbie Powell for his volunteer efforts.

“He just held out his fist and I knew what that meant,” Robbie said after greeting the president on the tarmac at the Little Rock National Airport.

Robbie gave the president one of the green silicone “Live 4 Ben” bracelets that he has been selling as a tribute to a friend who died from a neurological disorder. Bush accepted the bracelet and immediately put it on.

Robbie, a student at Bob Courtway Middle School, received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his efforts Tuesday. He has raised about $2,000 from selling the bracelets, which will go toward research into a condition called neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation.

Robbie’s friend Ben Patterson died in August from the rare neurological disorder.

“Last year, when he died, I wanted to do something,” Robbie said Tuesday. “I had a lot of those silicone bracelets and I remembered his favorite color was green, so I went online and made some that we could sell at the football games.”

Robbie said he and Ben first became friends in kindergarten. Robbie helped Ben with school assignments and class activities and, as his disease progressed and Ben was unable to speak or walk, Robbie visited him at home.

Robbie also volunteers his time with the Conway Braves, a tee ball program for children with disabilities that Ben’s parents started in 2003 in their backyard.

Kim Patterson, Ben’s mother, said Robbie used to help her son play tee ball.

“He helped Ben bat, pushed his wheelchair and cheered him on,” she said.

Kim Patterson said Robbie was one of the last people to visit her son the day before he died in August.

“(Robbie) came over and that’s the first time Ben had laughed in months. He laughed and giggled and played,” Patterson said.