A Spokane teenager with special needs who received help six years ago from a Rathdrum business died Tuesday.

"Benji's life brought joy, and community, to everyone who knew him and had a personality all his own — always cracking jokes and making fart noises, usually while holding or admiring a school bus," Benji's aunt, Sarah wrote on GoFundMe. "For 18 years, Benji was at the center of so much love and we are struggling to imagine a world without him."

A GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses has been started.

Born with hydrocephalus and a number of other challenges, Benji spent his life with a smile on his face, constantly beating the odds and rewriting medical books, his family said.

"In March of 2025, Benji took a turn where the complex shunting system could no longer function and he began a slow decline that would ultimately end our time with him the morning of Sept 8, 2026," according to the GoFundMe account.

In 2020, a 35-foot long, 8-foot wide, old yellow school bus was renovated at Bay Shore Systems Inc. for the youth, and it was to be moved to his backyard in Spokane. 

The Wishing Start Foundation oversaw the project.

Benji loved buses. He was fascinated by them and delighted in riding buses.

The bus, donated for $1 courtesy of Spalding Auto Parts, underwent a transformation at Bay Shore.

Modifications included a wheelchair ramp out the back door, lights, electricity, air-conditioning, a family sitting area, padded floor area and ceiling piping for physical therapy, and TV. The engine compartment will hold toys and the driver’s seat will be where Benji can sit and pretend to be driving with some of the gauges lighting up.

The $20,000 project was funded with primarily in-kind donations of labor and material. 

His family said it meant the world to Benji.

"To everyone who has followed Benji’s journey, loved him, and supported our family over the years: thank you. Your kindness and compassion have meant more than words can express," the GoFundMe post said.

"We will miss his presence, his joy, and all the little things that made him uniquely Benji. And we hope that whenever you see a yellow school bus, you’ll think of him, too."

The GoFundMe account had raised nearly $6,000 toward its $10,000 goal as of Thursday evening.

    The mirror reflects those involved in renovating a school bus for Benji in 2020.