Kingston Fereti received a $3,200 Christmas gift a week early.

But the timing didn't really matter. To the 13-year-old from Ewa Beach, the gift was priceless.

Sight was restored to his damaged left eye courtesy of a surgery by Dr. John Olkowski using a special lens developed and donated by Bausch & Lomb.

The injury occurred in April when fellow students at Highlands Intermediate were playing and threw a large seed pod that accidentally hit Kingston's left eye, perforating the cornea and damaging the lens inside the eye.

“;I thought it was blurry 'cause my eyes were teary, but it got cut,”; he said.

After the initial surgery to repair the cornea, a traumatic cataract developed, a common occurrence after a corneal injury.

For the active eighth-grader, the injury meant he could no longer play on his school's football team—the Highland Colts—or any other sport, much less fulfill his dream of playing in the National Football League.

Insurance would not cover a focusing lens, only a single-focus lens, which meant Kingston would have to wear reading glasses.

“;It was me more than him that took it hard,”; said his mom, Shann Fereti, who is a single parent. “;Every mother wants their child to be fine. He's my only child and you want the best.

“;He was actually in good spirits,”; Shann Fereti said. “;He told me, 'Don't worry, Mom, I can do things with only one eye.'”;

For Kingston, Santa came in the form of Olkowski, chief surgeon and medical director of Eyesight Hawaii, who was willing to perform the surgery free, and Dr. Elise Louie, who contacted Bausch & Lomb. The company agreed to provide a special focusing lens—Crystalens—for free.

Kingston was Olkowski's youngest Crystalens patient. The doctor said, “;He's a really special kid.”;

Olkowski was thrilled the surgery went well.

“;Having two little kids of my own, being able to fix somebody else's child's eyes just meant so much,”; he said.

Bausch & Lomb informed him Kingston is the second-youngest person in the country to receive the Crystalens implant—the usual age being 55 and older.

Although Kingston wanted to thank all his doctors, he believes he has someone else watching over him—his cousin who was stillborn earlier this month, whose middle name was Rejoice.

“;So our cousin is our little angel guardian,”; Kingston said.

Added his mother, “;We believe in miracles, and we believe there's an angel up there watching over us, and God, and he's working through these doctors.”;