OP here, Thank-you so much for the great ideas. I think we will go with the idea of a gift card to Amazon, then his parents can order something they know he will enjoy. Thanks again for all the thoughtful ideas. I can use some of them for other gifts I still need to give!

Stick with the gift card. It's a perfectly appropriate gift for any young adult you don't know well.

MP3 player/Shuffle (if you can go to $50) are great ideas.

I don't know if this'll work for you, but DH has done a great job of getting digital frames and pre-loading them with images for the sender (i.e., for me pics of all kinds of things, for his dad pics of family and DC, for a friend pictures of DC and her DC - kids are good friends). If you have any digital images (or could get the mom to email you some), this might be an idea -- some might say that it will remind him of what he can't do, but having been with kids and young adults with progressive illnesses, they really do often want to see and hear about other kinds of activities. Only you can know if this would work for your friend and his family.

So sorry you're dealing with this -- I know it's tough.

Anonymous wrote:If you can go to $50, an Ipod Shuffle would be a great present. You could borrow some interesting books on CD from the library and rip them to the Shuffle. If you can't go that high, Target has a couple of inexpensive brands of MP3 player for less than $30.

A shuffle would be a great present for a kid who didn't have one, but so many kids this age do. In that case, an itunes card would be a better gift.

Otherwise, a DVD, or a silly/irreverant Tshirt?

What are this young person's hobbies and interests? What would you get him if he were not sick?

Please don't get him a blanket just because he is in a wheelchair. Please.

Thirty dollar gift card to Amazon would be a great gift. Amazon sells books and music but also provides room for other vendors to sell different kinds of goods.

If you can go to $50, an Ipod Shuffle would be a great present. You could borrow some interesting books on CD from the library and rip them to the Shuffle. If you can't go that high, Target has a couple of inexpensive brands of MP3 player for less than $30.

Anonymous wrote:Kindle with $$$$ stuff loaded onto it or a $$ gift card.

Great idea, I forgot to mention that we are on a limited budget and need to keep the cost at $30 .

Kindle with $$$$ stuff loaded onto it or a $$ gift card.

We will be visiting family friends whose son has a progressive illness and is now in a wheelchair. We are at a loss for an appropriate gift. Some thoughts,, a blanket, T-shirt or ?. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.