Wish Stories

The Sky's the Limit

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:51:00 GMT

The sky's the limit for the imagination of Wyatt, a special five-year-old boy from Lowber, Pa., diagnosed with liver disease. Wyatt, who is fascinated with outer space, loves to pretend he is exploring the great unknown while playing with Transformers action figures and can name every planet in the solar system. When asked what his most heartfelt wish would be, he exclaimed, "I want to go to the moon, ride in a spaceship, ride in an airplane and see the beach!" Where would he be able to do all of that? At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, of course!

This past fall, Wyatt and his family boarded a plane destined for sunny Florida. As soon as Wyatt got on the airplane, he was escorted to the cockpit. This excited wish kid got to experience what it would be like to fly a plane, sitting in the pilot's seat behind the many controls. Wyatt felt like he was on top of the world, flying through the clouds on his first flight. When he and his family arrived in Florida, their first stop was The Resort on Cocoa Beach. Wyatt's first day in the sunshine state was spent at the beach, fulfilling just one part of Wyatt's wish request. The whole day was spent building sandcastles and playing in the waves.

The next two days were spent at the Kennedy Space Center, where Wyatt's wish of sitting in a spaceship would become reality. He got to see space rockets and even had the opportunity to ride in a shuttle simulator. While he visited the space center, he asked the astronauts many questions about what it's like to explore outer space. He even had the chance to eat lunch with an astronaut!

Wyatt's magical wish experience wasn't quite finished. In addition to visiting the Kennedy Space Center, Wyatt and his family also visited the Magic Kingdom® at the Walt Disney World® Resort. Wyatt had fun attending the Jedi Training Academy, where he learned how to be a Jedi Knight and fight Darth Vadar with a light saber. Wyatt and his family were sad to see this out-of-this-world adventure come to an end, but thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, they will have many memories to cherish for years to come.

California, Here She Comes!

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:50:00 GMT

Wish kid Lauren, 17, of Irwin, PA, loves animals, especially cats and tigers. For her wish, Lauren got an up-close experience with these animals at the San Diego Zoo, just one of the stops on her visit to the California city.

This past winter, Lauren, her mom and brother boarded their plane and left behind snowy Pennsylvania for sunny California. The fun started soon after the family arrived at San Diego's Hyatt Mission Bay Hotel, which overlooks the ocean, for their weeklong stay. At SeaWorld, Lauren was able to participate in the Beluga Whale Interaction program, where she put on a wet suit, swam with the whales and even was able to communicate with them through hand signals. "The water was super cold, but I loved it," said Lauren to her wish volunteers upon her return home. Lauren's adventures at SeaWorld also included taking in the whale and sea lion shows.

Another fun attraction that Lauren and her family enjoyed was the Photo Caravan at the San Diego Zoo. The Caravan, a safari truck, took them on a ride through the animal exhibits. Here, Lauren was able to get up close and personal with lots of animals. Lauren was also treated to a VIP behind-the-scenes tour at the zoo. Since Lauren and her family spent New Year's Eve in San Diego, they rang in the new year with a wonderful dinner at World Famous.

Lauren brought home many souvenirs to remember her trip. She and her family had a fantastic time and the only thing they could say after returning from their trip was, "WOW!!! What a great trip! Everything was wonderful!" Lauren definitely has memories to last a lifetime.

Part of The Little Mermaid's Magical World

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:48:00 GMT

In a whisper, three-year-old Avery looked at her volunteers and confided that when she visited Walt Disney World® she wanted to meet only one princess-Ariel. She grinned widely as she shared her secret. It's all Avery had thought of for the last year as she bravely received treatments for Wilm's Tumor. And she never wavered - every person who inquired as to what she was hoping to do when she went on her wish trip learned the same thing: meet Ariel. The meeting was just one day in a week-long adventure, but it was the day that Avery and her family will never forget. Avery's mom tells the story best.

"The girls had makeovers on Monday morning because this was the big day: Avery was to meet Ariel at Cinderella's Castle in the Magic Kingdom!" said Avery's mom. " Ariel made her way to the tables, and when she saw Avery wearing the same dress she was wearing, she showered her with attention...Avery was in awe. After Ariel made her rounds to the tables, Avery was able to have a special meeting with Ariel. Avery sat on Ariel's lap talking about all of the things Avery enjoyed, telling stories about Ariel's friend Flounder the fish who was taking a bath in Cinderella's bathtub and Prince Eric who was walking Max their dog. Finally, they sang ‘Part of Your World' together, which brought tears to my eyes.

"There was a time I wasn't sure if she'd be able to meet Ariel...one year ago I didn't know if she'd live long enough to have this life-long wish fulfilled. I will never forget this as long as I live."

Meeting Ariel was just one of many magical moments throughout the week. Riding roller coasters was an adventure of which Avery couldn't get enough. After each ride, she would look at her parents and ask if she could ride again. And with each ride, her hands were raised higher in the air, and the smile on her face even broader. She loved feeding and petting the dolphins at SeaWorld and personally meeting Barney.

Upon their return, Avery and her family admitted, "What we just experienced over the last week seems like a dream. It was truly a fairy land full of angels, ice cream, and love..."

LEGOLAND Creations

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:45:00 GMT

Everette loves LEGOs. He doesn't hesitate to call them his favorite toy, and in his spare time he can be seen constructing new creations. His living room is full of different size containers filled with LEGOs. When it came time for Everett to choose his wish, it was no surprise that he decided he wanted to go to LEGOLAND® in California to spend a day with Master Builder Gary McIntire.

This past summer, Everette and his family boarded a plane and traveled from their home in York, PA, to San Diego, CA. They stayed on the LEGOLAND property so they were close to all the action. Everette spent the day with Gary, a master builder at LEGOLAND. There he learned about the behind-the-scenes mechanics of LEGOLAND. After the tour, Everette was able to work with Gary to make a miniature version of himself with LEGOs. After Everett build his "mini-me", Gary told him to choose a place to put it in LEGOLAND Park. At first, Everette was going to put his creation on the LEGO Capital Building, but he decided it was too crowded with other mini-me's. He ended up choosing The Golden Gate Bridge to house his mini-me, because there wasn't anyone else on it.

The rest of Everette's trip to San Diego was spent sightseeing. He and his family traveled to Hollywood and visited the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater where the handprints of famous Hollywood stars reside. He also went to Mulholland Drive and saw Hollywood sprawled out in front of him. He saw the famous outdoor concert arena called the Hollywood Bowl, which was his favorite California landmark . He also went down streets where celebrities were rumored to live and to Santa Monica Pier. The family went swimming in the ocean even though it was a little cold that day. It was a wonderful adventure for Everette and the memories he gained from the trip will last he and his family a lifetime.

A Ray of Sunshine

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:32:00 GMT

Haley, a five-year-old from Allegheny County, loves sports and playing outdoors. Whether it is on a team or just around the neighborhood, Haley likes playing soccer and enjoys showing off her cartwheels and backflips in gymnastics. When it's rainy out, she kicks back inside playing games on her computer and watching DVDs. Like most kids her age, she Haley loves the summer time and playing outdoors. When she was approached about her wish, Haley decided she wanted her very own swimming pool in her backyard.

At the end of July 2010, Haley's swimming pool was ordered and installed in her backyard. She chose a pool and a deck because she loves to swim. She also received pool toys with her swimming pool such as a beach ball, a raft, and a kickboard. Haley opened her pool by thanking everyone for making her wish come true and then did a cannonball to jump in her new pool. Her mother says that she hasn't stopped smiling since her pool arrived.

"She sat in amazement watching her pool be built. A grin ear to ear was permanent that day on Haley's face," said Haley's mom, referring to how her daughter felt watching her swimming pool being installed. "The installation team allowed Haley in the pool while the water was put in. She described that moment as 'awesome, the highlight of the year.' Since the pool has arrived, rain or shine, Haley spent every summer day enjoying it. Haley's Make-A-Wish swimming pool truly changed her life and happiness."

Not only will the pool provide her with fun in the sun, but it will also be very therapeutic for her. It will be a relaxing outdoor activity that she can do in between her doctors and hospital visits. Haley is very grateful for her pool and she is looking very forward to having her friends and family over for swimming parties for many years to come.