EARLY YEARS: Llama Rama House holds charity gaming stream for children in the hospital

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Christmas came a few days early to kids at Carilion Children’s.

With the help from the cosplay group, The Mizfits, Steven and Kelly Conner got to play Santa’s elves, brightening the season for kids spending the holidays in the hospital.

Through their charity gaming stream, the Llama Rama House, they raised enough money to provide 10 Nintendo Switches for kids battling cancer, along with presents for other Carilion pediatric patients.

“You know, it’s a great escape when they’re getting treatment in the hospital. They can get on their gaming system and they don’t have to worry about being in the hospital or receiving chemo, they can get on their Nintendo Switch and truly just escape for a little while,” says Macy Ware, Program Director for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at Carilion Children’s.

Steven Conner understands that need to escape, having suffered PTSD after serving in the US Army.

“I incurred pretty tragic injuries while I was in Afghanistan. And there’s a lot of trauma there. There’s a lot PTSD and stuff like that,” says Steven.

But Steven has found healing through a community of comrades in the world of gaming.

The name ‘Llama Rama’ comes from Steven’s Fortnite character, a llama.

“We primarily stream Fortnite. It’s a pretty fun game, very animated,” Steven explains.

“It’s helped him with his PTSD and just the community we’ve made -- it’s not just playing video games, we sit and talk. And everybody can kind of talk about what they’re going through,” says Steven’s wife, Kelly.

Along with connecting with other veterans, Steven realized that he can also help hospitalized children connect.

Two groups with more in common than you might think.

“Gaming brings people together, gives them a place where they can talk. With veterans, they can’t always go out into the outside world, and kids with cancer, they can’t always go out into public,” says Kelly.

Steven’s passion to help children fighting cancer stems from the loss of both of his parents to the disease.

All proceeds from the Llama Rama stream goes to kids with cancer and combat-wounded vets.

“That’s one thing that we say is we’re not saying that we can cure cancer, we’re just trying to make them happy. Because that’s all we can ask for right, is happiness,” says Steven.

No longer on a battlefield, Steven serves in a new operation, bring joy and connection in his own home.

You can find the Llama Rama House Charity Stream on Tiktok: Steve the Llama Rama and Thellamaramahouse

Twitch: Steve_thellamarama