I’ll admit it — last Tuesday I was a bit worried about the assignment I gave myself.

I’ve interviewed all sorts of people over the years and I can usually handle anything that comes my way. However, attending Brandon Brauns’ Kids Kickin’ 4 Kids cancer benefit soccer camp at Soundview Playfield in Seattle was not your normal event.

I knew it would be very emotional — very intimidating to me.

I pulled up in my car about an hour early and just sat there, thinking about the tough interviews I’d soon be engaged in. I exited the car after about 15 minutes, walked around the field for a while and then made my way over to the registration table, where Bothell’s 10-year-old Brandon — who’s been battling cancer for seven years — sat and ran the show with his mom and grandparents.

Mom Kris and her parents, Rich and Dianne Forth, made me feel at ease when interview time came. Brandon is a quiet boy and didn’t say much, but you could see in his eyes that he was enjoying himself. Kris spoke of his intelligence, sense of humor and zest for life.

Kris was also very open with me about the last seven years of their lives and how, while things are tough, they’ve come to appreciate each day and every little thing that most of us take for granted.

Rich and Dianne said afterward that my interview with Kris went well and they liked the questions I asked and how I didn’t make her feel uncomfortable with too many hard-hitting queries.

Victory.

As the camp progressed, Brandon jumped up and honked the family RV horn many times to send players off to another coaching station. He stayed inside for a while, then he accompanied mom onto the field to check out the action and take some pictures of the athletes.

He faced the crowd at the end of the camp to show his appreciation and hold up the $1,300 check for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

While it was a great day for Brandon, it was also a tough one because he had so much moving around to do. He took his rests, but didn’t want to miss out on things, either.

As I watched that day, I was proud of him and everyone involved. At first, I wasn’t sure if I could ever put so much effort into anything that meant so much to people. But that was then — and now I feel I can make that step in the direction of lending a hand, making a difference.